AR-enhanced hockey and no lines at concerts: The future of 5G at Verizon

BASKING RIDGE—What most people today think of as 5G is just the beginning. US carriers have spent the past five years and billions of dollars building their 5G networks using a variety of technologies, radio waves, and devices. Most new smartphones now come with at least some form of 5G connectivity, allowing you to experience faster network performance in more places. Now that Verizon has this basic layer of reliable connectivity in place, the real work can begin, he said.

The company recently invited PCMag to its New Jersey headquarters to see a demonstration of several technologies and products that represent the possible future of 5G and the experiences it will enable. Demonstrations took place everywhere from event spaces and sports venues to corporate, military, and domestic facilities. Verizon believes its fiber backbone and advanced 5G technology will differentiate it from other carriers. This is what we saw.

no more lines

Whether it’s seeing your favorite artist live on stage or your local sports team looking for another win, many of us love to share our experiences in and out of concert venues and stadiums. Some people take photos for Instagram, while others FaceTiming their friends for real-time bonding. Stadiums are difficult places to get wireless, so Verizon is investing a lot of money to improve coverage inside the building.

Verizon recently announced that customers used 52.34 TB of data during Super Bowl LVIII at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, with 70% of that data passing through its 5G ultrawideband network. This was made possible by several 250mmWave 5G radios covering seating areas, suites, lounges, concourse areas, press boxes and entrances. But beyond basic connectivity, what will be possible in future event spaces?

Scan your face at this kiosk to enter the stadium (Credit: Eric Zeman)

Let’s start by getting in the door. Just before the opening act or tip-off time, large crowds tend to form at the entrance of the event space where tickets must be found, presented and scanned on mobile devices. In some cases, the app may freeze, tickets may disappear, or the network may be slow to display appropriate codes for scans. Verizon believes facial recognition can solve this problem. With the help of third-party verification software, Verizon has demonstrated how people can easily enter the stadium without presenting a ticket. Instead, the user’s face acts as a ticket, which is automatically scanned and verified on the network. In the demo, the process was almost instantaneous. A Verizon representative simply walked past the kiosk, my face was instantly registered, and a green light indicated I was cleared to enter.

You may also be able to use it to purchase perks, as long as you don’t mind having your face scanned. Verizon and its stadium partners are considering special discount areas where faces will be scanned as you enter and again as you exit, and everything you pick up will be automatically charged to your registration card. The idea here is to simplify the process of getting concert t-shirts and jerseys. Otherwise, you may have to wait in a long line to get one. (Amazon introduced a similar idea with his Go store in 2018, but it wasn’t 100% successful.)

Verizon Stadium Communications Unit (Credit: Eric Zeman)

Not everything is good for the consumer. Verizon is working with the NFL to provide on-field communications to some stadiums. Verizon uses the network’s slicing and highly limited coverage areas to allow NFL coaches to converse over the network with their offensive and defensive coordinators (who often sit in skyboxes off the sideline). I will make it possible. The NFL requires 99.99% uptime to ensure that every play call is heard and not missed.

A smarter smart home

Smart homes sometimes get a bad rap. With the mix of technologies, brands, standards, and connectivity platforms, it’s right to complain at least a little bit about the confusion around getting everything to work properly. Verizon believes its next generation of home Wi-Fi routers will solve at least some of these problems. The new routers are expected to be available to both Verizon’s Fios customers and customers with 5G-based fixed wireless access (FWA) subscriptions later this year, although the company hasn’t said exactly when.

Verizon’s next generation Wi-Fi router (Credit: Eric Zeman)

First, the router supports Matter, a nascent smart home platform aimed at connecting today’s disparate standards. Verizon didn’t say what other smart home standards will be supported, but Matter would be a good start.

One of the tech demos Verizon showed us involved a friend ringing a video doorbell. We also used facial recognition to see a scenario where a doorbell recognizes the person ringing and automatically performs a routine that unlocks the door, plays welcome music, and turns on smart lights. . At the heart of this feature is the new Verizon Smart Home app, which is expected to arrive later this year. This mobile app gives Fios and his FWA subscribers access to a whole new level of technology in and around their homes. Verizon didn’t reveal too many details about the app, but the short video we saw suggests that it will be a major upgrade to the company’s existing app, giving you more fine-tuned control over things. That’s what it means.

However, my favorite is Wi-Fi sensing. The router includes a new feature that allows it to “see” things based on interruptions in the Wi-Fi signal. For example, your router can recognize a robot vacuum as it moves around your room based on how it impacts your Wi-Fi network as it rolls across the floor. Verizon believes this could open the door to other interesting use cases, such as being able to tell when an intruder enters your home.

Unexpected connectivity

Have you seen a torque wrench with 5G connectivity? I have. Of his many 5G devices that Verizon had, a few stood out, including Wrench. Verizon says such a device could be useful in situations where knowing the exact amount of torque to apply to a nut is important to prevent damage. But that’s not all.

Motorola’s 5G neckband certainly stood out. If you don’t think you look that goofy wearing an AR/VR headset, imagine adding this neckband to the mix. Designed specifically for AR/VR applications, this device is essentially a mobile hotspot that you wear around your neck, allowing your headset to stay connected to the internet. Yes, it’s weird.

5G neckband for Motorola’s VR headsets (Credit: Eric Zeman)

There’s a lot more to AR/VR. Verizon is working with the NHL to bring augmented reality to headsets. The app will allow him to wear AR glasses while watching the game and interact with what is shown on the screen. This includes tapping on players moving around on the ice to see real-time stats like playing time. A smartphone version of this app is also in development.

Are there other devices on Verizon’s radar? Connected body cameras for law enforcement, wearables like smartwatches, 5G-enabled computing devices like laptops and tablets, and robust mobile hotspots.

5G at work

Of course, Verizon also plans to use its 5G network to sell products and services tailored to the needs of businesses. The big driver here is network slicing. Network slicing allows network operators to reserve specific wedges of spectrum for specific applications, devices, or services. This not only improves performance, but also improves security. (T-Mobile also has network slicing.)

In the demo we saw, a 5G-enabled robot leveraged network slicing to receive the information it needed to move around the factory floor and perform programming. To do this, it was necessary to load and unload goods without colliding with other robots or people. Network slices are unique to that robot and its applications and cannot be accessed or used by other devices. It’s part of a broader push by Verizon and its competitors to bring private 5G networks to businesses across the United States.

Portable base station connected to helmet (Credit: Eric Zeman)

When it comes to military applications, Verizon talked about how 5G will help with connected devices such as drones and equipment needed for field operations. For example, we’ve seen small portable base stations that can manage communications in small areas. Equipped with radios, sensors, etc., the helmet can transmit data to a base station for use on the battlefield.

The horizon is closer than you think

If some of these demos sound far from modern times, I’m here to tell you that it’s all happening much faster than you realize. Most products have been in development for some time and are almost ready for market.

If you’re not a Verizon customer, don’t worry. AT&T and T-Mobile have their own advanced 5G initiatives underway. All three carriers have reached the point where 5G is widely deployed for basic and quick network access. Now it’s time to roll out the fun. I can’t wait to see it.