Through the first 5G Joint Innovation Centre (JIC) in Europe, Sunrise and Huawei will work together to research and develop 5G applications for various verticals.
Olaf Swantee, CEO of Sunrise, said, “With the opening of the first 5G Joint Innovation Centre in Europe, we as a leading 5G provider are taking another important step. What we have presented today will showcase the huge potential of 5G applications for both the private and business sectors.”
“I am particularly proud of the fact that we are the first provider in the world to launch a cloud gaming service with 4K resolution over 5G,” he added.
Through the JIC, Huawei will also operate an OpenLab, where developers of 5G applications can use a live end-to-end 5G network to test their applications or solutions under real 5G conditions before launching them commercially.
Huawei will also provide components such as IoT sensors and end devices for test purposes.
“A successful 5G business requires a healthy and prosperous business environment. It is what the JIC is established for: to innovate, experience and incubate 5G services.
“I believe a single spark can start a prairie fire, and whatever JIC incubates, it could set as pilots for global carriers,” said Ryan Ding, Executive Director, CEO of the Carrier BG, Huawei.
The centre will be based at Sunrise’s headquarters in Opfikon.
5G applications
Sunrise highlighted some of the ways companies are already using its 5G network.
At Agroscope Tänikon (Thurgau), researchers are testing technologies to help farmers optimise their cows’ milk production and track their feeding behaviour.
The aim is to “achieve the highest possible production with optimal animal welfare conditions”, as well as using high-resolution data transmission to allow farmers to monitor the calving process in real-time, including through using a high-resolution camera.
Industrial company GF Machining Solutions is using 5G to optimise machinery and the production process. 5G gateways were installed and spread out across the entire factory floor, meaning machines can now be placed anywhere within the factory.
Download speeds and transfer rates of over 1.1 Gbps have been measured — around ten times faster than the speeds that were being recorded before the gateways were installed. This 5G network enables predictive maintenance in almost real-time.
The St. Jakob-Park stadium in Basel and the Weisse Arena in Laax is using 5G to enable instant replays, multi-camera functions and virtual stadium visits, along with a new voting app for FC Basel’s home games.
First 5G ski resort
In November 2019, Sunrise will launch what it says is the world’s first standardised 5G network in a ski resort, on the Crap Sogn Gion.
Last week, Sunrise and Huawei announced a record download speed of 3.67Gbps using multiple 5G smartphones in one 5G cell in Zürich.