Optus tests augmented reality video calling over 5G

Telco conducts international AR call on 5G network

Optus and its parent company Singtel have released details of a successful international augmented reality (AR) video call on their 5G mobile networks in Australian and Singapore.

The test, conducted in partnership with Ericsson, employed 5G test devices from Chinese vendor Oppo. The devices used Qualcomm Snapdragon X50 5G modems.

During the call, engineers at each end used AR to make “instant on-screen annotations to exchange views on their respective live 5G sites,” the telcos said.

“Once again Optus has proven our 5G agility, working collaboratively with our colleagues in Singapore to successfully land a ground-breaking 5G inter-country AR video call,” said Optus CEO Allen Lew in a statement.

Singtel group CTO Mark Chong said the call was a “significant marker in our journey to 5G as we develop a robust 5G ecosystem to ensure that our enterprise and consumer customers will enjoy an enhanced connectivity experience”.

“5G is a key enabler that will bring the future of AR, autonomous vehicles and smart cities closer to reality,” the CTO said.

Optus in January released details of its first 5G-based product: A home broadband service using the new wireless standard, which the telco has given a price point — $70 a month — that will challenge NBN fixed-line services.

By March 2020, Optus plans to rollout 1200 5G-capable sites across suburbs in the ACT, Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia.

The first group of 50 sites will, to go live by March, will cover 60 suburbs in the ACT, NSW, South Australia, Queensland, and WA.

Last week the telco said it had switched on a 5G site in the Sydney suburb of Kellyville, bringing to four the total number of live sites (the other three comprised two in Canberra and another in Sydney).

In addition to Ericsson, Optus is working with Nokia for its “multi-vendor” 5G rollout (following the government’s decision to bar telcos from using Huawei gear for 5G).

Telstra details handset deal

Telstra yesterday announced that it would be the first Australian telco to offer the 5G-enabled version of Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy S10. The telco said that it would allow customers who purchased a Samsung S10+ smartphone from it to upgrade for no extra cost to the Galaxy S10 5G when it is eventually released later this year.

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Tags NetworkingTelecommunicationsoptusMobility & Wireless5G

More about ACTAustraliaGalaxyHuaweinbnNokiaOppoOptusQualcommSamsungSingtel

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