From immersive video to holograms: What will 5G experience be like?

Nothing binds people of our country together like cricket. Airtel knew this. So when the telecom major had to showcase the 5G speed, it took out a leaf from 1983’s World Cup winning moments.

On Thursday, Airtel showcased the high-speed and low latency capabilities of 5G. It conducted the demonstration at its Network Experience Center in Manesar, Gurugram over 3500 MHz band test spectrum allotted by the Department of Telecom.  

It was like a glimpse into the future. The demonstration highlighted how immersive video technology and holograms could change the face of entertainment.

Airtel showcased the exciting future of entertainment enabled by 5G, by recreating the in-stadia experience of Kapil Dev’s famous 175 not out versus Zimbabwe, during the 1983 Cricket World Cup.

A special 175 Replayed video, in 4K mode, brought to life key moments from the match, which had no video footage due to the then strike called by TV technicians.

Airtel also demonstrated 5G’s use-case in the metaverse.

It also conducted India’s first 5G-powered hologram interaction with Kapil Dev. The 5G-powered virtual avatar of the legendary cricketer appeared on the stage to interact with the fans in real-time and walked them through the key moments of his innings.

According to the department of telecom, 5G is expected to deliver a download speed 10 times faster than 4G. While Airtel, after the trial, claimed speed of over 1 Gbps and latency of under 20 ms.

So, what exactly is immersive video technology? Immersive video is a type of video content that is designed to make viewers feel like they are part of the experience.

There are several technologies available to enable such kind of experience. Foremost among them are virtual reality, augmented reality, and live holographic representation.

The former two are widely used to enable the immersive video experience, but require specialised devices like glasses, headsets, and smart screens, etc.

The holographic representation, however, is the easiest and convenient way to experience immersive videos because it uses conventional technologies like three-dimensional videos to render immersive real-like experience.

Indians might soon get to experience 5G speeds. Commercial 5G services are planned to be rolled out this year in Delhi, Gurugram, Mumbai, Pune, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chandigarh, Lucknow, Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar, and Jamnagar.

On their part, telecom companies have told Business Standard that if auctions take place on time, they would be able to offer some 5G services in a select few cities by the end of this year. Meanwhile, a full roll-out will start from 2023.

According to a Business Standard report, the 5G spectrum auctions are targeted for July.  

A report by market research firm CMR has said that 5G smartphone shipments might hit 64 million in India, as spectrum auctions may yake place later this year. According to the report, 5G smartphones grew more than 600 per cent in India in 2021.

The messages coming from the government corridors also suggest that the 5G roll out is on the track. Union Minister for Electronics and IT, Ashwini Vaishnaw, had said last month that 5G roll out in India was now in its final stages. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has also announced while presenting the budget that the government was planning to launch a scheme for design-led manufacturing that will help to build a stronger ecosystem for 5G as part of the production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme.