28GHz Frequency Handover 5G and VR Technology Demonstration
High-Speed, Low-Latency Communication... Simultaneous Control of Hundreds of Robots
Telecommunications equipment company Ericsson LG demonstrated its Eum 5G (5G specialized network) technology using the 28 GHz frequency band ahead of the full-scale launch of extended reality (XR) content. The plan is to lead the expansion of the XR ecosystem with a network that significantly reduces latency and delivers high speed.
On the 17th, Ericsson LG held a press briefing at Newgens Lab in Gwacheon-si, Gyeonggi-do, where it demonstrated Eum 5G technology, including virtual reality (VR) services using the 28 GHz frequency band, and introduced the 'EP5G' solution.
Eum 5G is a communication network where businesses aiming to utilize 5G convergence services build their own networks in specific areas tailored to service characteristics, using 5G frequencies. It is widely used in industrial sites requiring stable high-speed and low-latency communication. Through the EP5G solution, Ericsson LG provides an integrated package of Eum 5G, including devices, cloud infrastructure, and software. Kang Ji-hoon, team leader at Ericsson LG, said, "Implementing ultra-high-speed, ultra-low-latency 5G with Eum 5G in industrial sites will create new opportunities. For example, controlling hundreds of robots simultaneously used to require optical cables, but 28 GHz Eum 5G can replace that." He added, "In 3 to 5 years, technology that reduces latency to 1 ms within smart factories will be realized, which can be applied in areas such as autonomous driving, emergency response, drones, and XR."
Ericsson LG is particularly confident about the potential of the 28 GHz band in XR services such as augmented reality (AR) and VR. Recently, Meta, Apple, and Google have been releasing XR head-mounted display (HMD) devices one after another. Kang said, "Viewing XR content requires an enormous amount of data. For example, if about 20 people in one space use VR devices and each demands 100 Mbps speed, the network experiences tremendous load. This is why ultra-high-frequency band Eum 5G like 28 GHz is necessary." Ultra-high-frequency bands like 28 GHz have ultra-high-speed and ultra-low-latency characteristics compared to mid-to-low bands such as 3.5 GHz used in commercial networks and 4.7 GHz used for Eum 5G.
In the demonstration, the 28 GHz band 5G specialized network showed superior performance compared to the 4.7 GHz band. The 4.7 GHz and 28 GHz Eum 5G networks built at Newgens Lab were compared side by side. The 4.7 GHz band showed 0.11 Gbps uplink performance and 10 ms latency, while the 28 GHz band recorded 1.2 Gbps uplink performance and 4 ms latency.
Next, a VR service using NVIDIA's XR content development and streaming platform CloudXR and Eum 5G was demonstrated. The experience involved wearing a VR device in a CloudXR environment to design a realistic 3D car model. When the demonstrator wearing the VR device shook their head left and right, there was no afterimage, and the scenery transitioned smoothly. The car also moved smoothly without latency or interruption. Previously, experiencing such services required wearing heavy equipment, which was inconvenient. However, with 28 GHz Eum 5G and CloudXR, users only need to wear a VR device connected to a palm-sized 28 GHz modem. It is also possible for dozens of people to use the VR service simultaneously.
Shim Gyo-heon, Executive Director of Enterprise at Ericsson LG, said, "The Eum 5G market is rapidly expanding, mainly driven by companies leading innovative changes in various industrial fields, especially in logistics and manufacturing. We will continue to work with various partners to revitalize the domestic ecosystem and develop service cases."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
