Vodafone: Brings the future with the Vodafone Giga City 5G in Trikala

Η Vodafone presented today innovative technological applications from tomorrow, launching its first pilot application of 5G network in the city of Trikala.

Η Vodafone presented today innovative technological applications from tomorrow in the field of Transport, Health and Education that connect people and local communities for a better future, launching its first pilot application 5G network in the city of Trikala.

In collaboration with the Municipality of Trikala and e-trikala, Vodafone presented the "smart" city of the future Vodafone Giga City 5G, where thanks to the ultra-high speeds, zero response delays and the unique reliability of the Giga Network 5G, new possibilities open up for everyone.

"Our main priority is the creation of modern Municipalities that can meet the needs of our citizens. In this context, the creation of telecommunications infrastructure remains a key pillar of development for local communities. In this endeavor, technology is a constant ally, acting as a means rather than an end in itself. The existing solutions, but also those that are developed by the expansion of the 5th generation networks, lead to Municipalities that are safe, functional, child-friendly and education-friendly, interconnected and extroverted ", stressed the Mayor Trikkaia and president of KEDE Dimitris Papastergiou.

"The formation of a digital society depends on the ability to quickly and efficiently develop those digital infrastructures that will ensure that citizens and businesses will benefit from high-speed, highly responsive and reliable connections. Greece has all the conditions to participate equally in the 4th Industrial Revolution, based on a framework of utilization of the spectrum that will encourage more investment. The applications we saw today are just the beginning of a future that will surely be exciting for everyone thanks to the new generation networks and IoT, technologies in which Vodafone is a pioneer. "With significant investments in Greece, innovative technologies and exceptional human resources, we contribute to the digital transformation of the country and stand by our customers and our local communities, ensuring that they can benefit from the digital technologies that shape the future," said Haris Broumidis. President and CEO of Vodafone Greece.

5G and Smart Moving in the City

As part of the pilot operation of Vodafone 5G network in Trikala, the first car with remote driver, via 5G interface. Thanks to the high speeds and reliability of the 5G network, the driver operated the vehicle remotely via cockpit and screen, where in real time he had the same visibility on the car as if he were in the driver's seat. The driver's "commands" were automatically transmitted via 5G, with immediate response from the vehicle. The 5G network supported the driving of a vehicle remotely, as it ensured high speed, reliability and excellent network response (low latency), combined with high bandwidth for direct image transfer and the ability to operate remotely.

In the digital society of the future, travel is becoming smarter and safer, while new possibilities are opening up in areas such as Transportation in a city or responding to emergencies or dangerous situations. The implementation of this pilot application was done in collaboration with the company Luxoft.

5G and Telephoto Surgery

Also, the possibility of telesurgery, via 5G network, was presented in collaboration with the Athens Medical Center and the Research University Institute of Communication and Computer Systems (EPISEV) of the National Technical University of Athens.

This is the next step in the already widespread robotic surgery, which will enable the surgeon to perform remote surgeries, responding to an emergency or even reaching the hospital, thus preventing the loss of a human life.

In the context of the pilot application that was presented, Dr. Konstantinos M. Konstantinidis, MD, PhD, FACS, Adjunct Professor of Surgery Ohio State University, Scientific Director, Director of General, Bariatric, Laparoscopic & Robotic Surgery Clinic, at the Athens Medical Center and the American College of Surgeons Clinical Congress 2019, had the opportunity , from the city of Trikala, to connect via 5G and to operate remotely the surgical arms located at the Athens Medical Center, guiding the execution of precision surgical movements. The image transfer from the operating room via 5G was supported by the Athens Medical Center and Livemedia.

Thus, thanks to the fifth generation network, a doctor will be able to operate a robotic system remotely, through parallel image transmission, high definition with zero latency and high bandwidth. In the cities of the future, robotic surgeries will now be performed from anywhere in the world, while giving the surgeon the opportunity to practice his surgical science, directly and remotely, for the benefit of patients.

This application was presented in collaboration with the Robotics and Automation Laboratory (https://robotics.ntua.gr/) of the School of Electrical & Computer Engineering, of the National Technical University of Athens, where basic research is prepared on telecommunication and tactile systems, with medical applications.

5G and Access to Education and Science

In the digital society of the future, access to education is unrestricted and scientific knowledge will be available to everyone thanks to 5G networks. The new generation networks enable the access to a high level of knowledge but also to unique experiential experiences, such as access to Museum exhibits and research content of Universities from all over the world, without the need for physical presence.

During the Giga City pilot application, thanks to Vodafone's 5G network, students from the 7th High School of Trikala had the opportunity to attend a different course on human space exploration. Through a holographic call, Dr. George Vekinis, Director of Research and Head of the Education Office of the National Center for Research in Natural Sciences "Democritus", "connected" with the class and spoke to students about the challenges of traveling and living in space and Mars, as well as relevant scientific research conducted by NCSR "Demokritos", supporting space missions. 5G technology supports holographic calls thanks to high speeds and excellent response.

Vodafone recognizes the need for young people to have access to education and science, especially in a rapidly changing world thanks to exponential technologies. Through the Vodafone Foundation and in collaboration with Science Communication and Hellenic-German Education, Vodafone implements the pioneering Generation Next skills development program that enables high school and college students to learn about exponential technologies, to experiment and to develop and develop that provide solutions to everyday problems of the local community. The program offers training in topics such as astronomy, Arduino, Internet of Things, Mobile app development, among others, through an online platform, extracurricular workshops, training packages and the mobile educational game The Moondiver Xperience.

The implementation of this application was made possible in collaboration with the company Musion 3D and the social enterprise Science Communication.

It is also noted that the 5G pilot application in the city of Trikala was implemented in collaboration with Huawei, which provided support for the technical implementation of the project.

Basic Data for 5G

5G is a new generation technology for mobile broadband that will bring very fast speeds, better connections and coverage.

Features and Benefits

• Low latency - excellent response (low latency) and network reliability - <5 milliseconds (ms)
• Speed - speeds over 1 Gbps - 10 times faster than 4G, thus making innovative applications that will shape smart cities and significantly improve people's lives.
• network capacity - increased network capacity with users enjoying higher network speeds and reliability even during periods of high network traffic or low coverage areas
• Calls 5G utilizes VoLTE capabilities to provide voice services. This practically means that the user can make and receive calls and use data at the same time without interrupting the download speed. It also ensures better quality and clarity in calls, but also high quality video calls without delays or pixelation.
• Internet of Things Revolution - support the connection of millions of "smart" devices to the Internet and the creation of large IoT networks. The expansion of Gigabit networks and the Internet of Things will support smart cities with new capabilities in key industries - industry, agriculture, energy and other utilities - while also providing better access to education, employment, health and better quality. life for all.
• Energy saving - 5G network is more efficient in terms of energy consumption than 4G, as more than 1TB of data can be transmitted via 5G consuming 1kWh of electricity, depending on the conditions.

Press release - Source