Airtel demos 5G scope; recreates Kapil Dev's iconic 175-run inning from '83 World Cup

NEW DELHI: Telecom operator Bharti Airtel on Monday showcased the possibilities of the 5G era, as it harnessed immersive video technology using the next-generation network, to recreate the in-stadia experience of Kapil Dev's legendary 175-run inning from the 1983 cricket World Cup.

Airtel also demonstrated a live 5G-powered hologram as the legendary cricketer's virtual avatar interacted with the audience in real-time from a remote location.

"Using cutting-edge immersive video technologies over its high-speed 5G test network, Airtel recreated the in-stadia experience of Kapil Dev's famous 175 not-out vs Zimbabwe during the 1983 cricket World Cup," Airtel said in a release.

The demo brought to life key moments from the match which had no actual video footage due to a strike at that time by TV technicians.

With over 1 Gbps of internet speed, more than 50 concurrent users had a highly personalised 4K video experience of the match on 5G smartphones with real-time access to multiple camera angles, 360-degree in-stadia view, shot analysis and statistics.

Airtel carried out the demonstration at its Network Experience Center in Manesar (Gurugram) using Ericsson 5G gear over 3,500 MHz band test spectrum allotted by the Department of Telecom. During the demo, a 5G-powered virtual avatar of Kapil Dev appeared on the stage and interacted with the audience and walked them through the key moments of his inning.

Randeep Sekhon, CTO, Bharti Airtel, said that gigabit speeds and millisecond latency of 5G is set to transform the way entertainment is consumed.

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"With today's demonstration, we have only scratched the surface of the infinite possibilities of 5G and highly personalised immersive experiences in the digital world. With 5G based holograms, we will be able to transport virtual avatars to any location, and this will be a game-changer for meetings and conferences, live news, and will have so many other use cases," Sekhon said.

Airtel said it is fully prepared for 5G amid the emerging digital world and is building a robust pipeline of innovative use cases for India.

Sharing his experience, Kapil Dev added: "I am simply amazed by the power of 5G technology and seeing my digital avatar interact with my fans as if I am actually there."

Earlier this year, Airtel had demonstrated the country's first 5G experience over a live 4G network. It has also demonstrated its rural 5G trial as well as the first cloud gaming experience on 5G. Spectrum auctions are slated to be held in 2022 to facilitate the roll-out of 5G mobile services within 2022-23 by private telecom providers.

The market is gearing up for the roll-out of 5G services that will usher in ultra-high-speed internet and spawn new-age services and business models. Telecom regulator's recommendations on spectrum pricing and other modalities are expected to come soon.