Madrid/Valencia, 18 June 2019 – Orange, the second largest mobile network operator in Spain and one of the leading telecoms in the world, and ZTE, telecommunication equipment maker and provider of network solutions and smartphones, are demoing a number of applications for the new 5G technology at the Global 5G Event and the European Conference on Networks and Communications (EuCNC).

The first test, #ConnectedVehicleCampus5G, shows a remote-driving application based on 5G technology. In it, ZTE worked jointly with Orange and the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV).

In the test, several high-definition cameras are installed in a vehicle to get multiple images of the car’s surroundings and send them over the Orange 5G network to the remote driver in real time. The 5G network provides the ultra-low latency needed for the driver to effectively control the vehicle at all times.

In the second test, #5GRobotControl, ZTE and Orange demo one of the applications of 5G to Industry 4.0: industrial robotics, also developed together with UPV. The integration of 5G wireless communication technology provides the low latency required for real-time remote control of robotic arms.

In this test, ZTE and Valencia Polytechnic University use a high-resolution camera that captures the movements of the human arm that controls the robot. These movements are recognised, interpreted and transformed into commands that are instantly sent to the robot over the Orange 5G network. The movements are reproduced by the robot in real time with no delay, thanks to the super-fast, ultra-low-latency 5G technology.

The third project is an innovative experience powered by ZTE and Orange: #3DHolograms. Visitors will be amazed at the hologram call with transmission of voice and images in real time.

In the fourth test, #5GNews, Orange, ZTE and RTVE, together with UPV, broadcast a real-time news show using an HD camera connected to 5G. The content is sent over the Internet from the Valencia Conference Centre to RTVE’s regional news outlets in Toledo and Valencia.

Finally, #ExperienceLasFallas5G uses 5G to improve extended reality (virtual/augmented reality). In the Orange stand, visitors can watch a live video recorded with a 4K 360-degree camera outside the Valencia Conference Centre, connected to Orange’s 5G pilot network. They can see first-hand how 5G can help extended reality applications evolve to the next level.

In addition, there will be a genuine 360-degree immersive experience of the Fallas, courtesy of the 8K content recorded by Visyon and Prensa Ibérica in this past edition of the Valencia festival. Visitors will feel they are actually part of one of the most popular festivals in Spain.

Through all the experiences briefly described here, ZTE and Orange, EuCNC 2019 sponsors, will be the stars of the event, showing innovative projects that help Valencia take centre stage in the global 5G scenario.

Orange’s strategic bet on stand-alone 5G network

Demonstrations like these make Orange, sponsor of Global 5G Event and EuCNC, a pioneer in the development of 5G technology in Spain. The company is testing a stand-alone 5G network that will boost the digital transformation after the successful transition to 4G and the extension of fibre optic networks. The mobile network operator will help reach the much-awaited high speed and super-low latency offered by the new technology, which will support millions of 5G-ready connected devices.

For the launch of 5G, Orange has partnered with ZTE, extending the applications of the new technology to various industries and fields. The two firms are working with leading companies in a number of sectors: construction, energy, health, automotive and travel, among others. In addition to Valencia, Orange is conducting demonstrations in Seville, Málaga, Vigo, Santiago de Compostela, Barcelona and Madrid.

Last year, Orange became the leading 3.4-3.8GHz band mobile operator in Spain, the only one with 100Mhz, which required a total investment of 152 million euro.

ZTE, long-time involved in 5G development

Determined to take the lead in 5G network technology, ZTE has been developing solutions based on the new technology for years alongside global partners. In its effort to plunge into the new age of digital communications and intelligence, the company relies on an R&D team made of over 25,000 people, who specialise in a wide range of fields. With the contributions from experts in connectivity and mobile devices, ZTE has consolidated its leadership in three areas: the development of 5G networks, the commercial use of this new and disruptive technology, and the creation of economies of scale.