Verizon will use Indianapolis motor speedway for pre-commercial 5G trials

Verizon and Ericsson will use the backdrop of the 2017 Indianapolis 500, to validate how 5G will transform the lives of families and sports fans in the future.

The home, located in Speedway, IN, close to the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway, is part of Verizon’s latest pre-commercial 5G trial deployment.

Inside, Verizon, Ericsson and Intel Corporation will demonstrate the many ways consumers can make the most of multi-gigabit per-second network speeds with low latency, giving consumers access to capabilities such as watching live sporting events in 360-degree Virtual Reality streamed in 4K.

A live demo of the home will be streamed on Facebook on May 24 at 1:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time and can be accessed here.

Intel provided the in-home gateway, based on the Intel 5G Mobile Trial Platform and Intel connected home technology, which delivers the 5G connectivity to the home. The Intel-powered network enables 360 degree video to be live streamed from the action on the track to head mounted displays, highlighting the benefits 5G will deliver to new consumer VR experiences.

With speeds up to 100 times faster than existing networks, customers in 5G- connected homes will have access to features such as gigabit fixed wireless and high bandwidth uploads. These uploads can enable applications such as cloud-based security cameras and result in smoother virtual and augmented reality experiences, not to mention allow for a myriad of other Internet of Things devices to connect to the network, creating a new level of convenience and security in customers’ daily lives.

In the future, 5G will change the racing experience for Verizon IndyCar Series drivers, pit crews and spectators. With a 5G system in place, the network will be able to stream live, 360-degree video along with data from hundreds of sensors from every car and driver on the track, allowing fans to virtually take the driver’s seat.

The service will also benefit race teams who will be able to react in real time, improving safety and performance. While 5G is not available outside this trial at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, demonstrating the technology during the lead up to the greatest spectacle in racing is fitting.

“From keeping my car connected during the race to staying connected while I’m on the road, Verizon is on the leading edge of technology. It’s exciting to have them test their new 5G wireless service during the Indianapolis 500,” explained Will Power, driver of the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Dallara/Chevrolet in the Verizon IndyCar Series.

“Indianapolis is the birthplace of speed and innovation for INDYCAR racing, making it a fitting place to experience the increased speed of 5G technology on the eve of the 101st running of the Indianapolis 500.”

“Mobile data networks will become the backbone of the 21st century, with Verizon and Ericsson going beyond 4G to support the Internet of Things to come,” said Adam Koeppe, Vice President of Network Planning at Verizon.

“From autonomous vehicles to enhanced communication to passenger entertainment, we’re building performance and reliability into the core of this new network, just as it is the backbone of every Indianapolis 500 winner.”

Verizon and Ericsson also recorded a demonstration of 5G at speed, proving that this technology will reach beyond fixed connections to include smartphones, automobiles and other connected devices.

During this mobility test, sustained broadband speeds of over 6.4 Gb/sec were reached in a car moving at speeds in excess of 60 mph. These results are made possible through Ericsson advanced radio, antenna and processing technology, including beam forming and beam tracking.

The video – filmed at Indianapolis Motor Speedway – demonstrates to viewers 5G features like smart antenna technology. Instead of transmitting information scattered across multiple locations, 5G uses beam tracking, which beams information at a specific user even if the user is moving at highway speed, providing uninterrupted connectivity.

Per Narvinger, Head of Product Area Network Systems, Ericsson says: “Ericsson is working with Verizon to push the 5G envelope and bring 5G to market with commercially ready networks. 5G will enable new use cases for people and businesses, which will make our world safer, more efficient and more environmentally sustainable.”

Asha Keddy, Vice President and General Manager of Next Generation Standards, Intel Communications and Devices Group, says: “5G will bring new experiences and business opportunities like exciting virtual reality in 4K and ultra-fast wireless home broadband. Intel, Verizon and Ericsson’s work in establishing early trials and testing is essential to deliver on our vision of making all devices smart and connected.”

As the fifth generation of wireless technology, 5G will deliver enhanced fixed and mobile broadband, low-latency services and massive scale for the Internet of Things (IoT), which will transform all industries.