Fans today are actively seeking immersive mobile-first experiences and the ability to instantly engage with friends via social media and messaging in a way that wasn’t possible in the past.  

With two terabytes of data per second transported over the Deutsche Telekom network during one European tournament this summer, the demand from consumers to communicate and share content seamlessly is happening right now and growing all the time. ​A recent Snapchat study found that 73 percent of respondents can’t imagine watching sports without their phones nearby to engage in active group chats, and for Gen-Z, this figure jumps to 94 percent. 52 percent of respondents said that they rely on social media and messaging apps to stay updated about sporting events they aren’t watching. 

To explore this evolving landscape, Niklas Heuveldop, Vonage CEO and Head of Business Area Global Communications Platform for Ericsson, and Peter Arbitter, SVP of MagentaBusiness API (MACE) at Deutsche Telekom, met to discuss the future role 5G and network APIs can play in taking the immersive fan experience to the next level. ​ 

A new immersive era for fans with 5G

Brands need to reach fans where they are, particularly in a digital age where over 80 percent of fans may never visit a stadium, and create a holistic, immersive experience that blends the excitement of live games with personalized and interconnected digital experiences. This requires the right level of network performance, coverage, and capacity that the power of 5G can deliver. 

5G can also pave the way for new immersive experiences such as augmented reality with faster, more uniform data rates. Fans will be able to access multiple player stats at sports events and replay or view the live experience from different angles. For venue operators and broadcasters, mobile camera teams inside will benefit from a real-time, seamless connectivity lane to broadcast with a 5G ‘network slice’, guaranteeing uninterrupted capacity and low latency. It will also be a key enabler of AI solutions as it will enable real-time data collection and analysis. At the same time, new use cases will be uncovered through the network. 

Ericsson and Vonage are leading the development of a global network platform for open innovation and opening up the network for third-party developers to make network capabilities universally available for further innovation. With 5G, Vonage is extending its CPaaS platform, to create advanced use cases, from optimized logistics to network slicing, cloud gaming, and more. The key is exposing new capabilities to developers from within the 5G network that have never before been available. Network APIs will further revolutionize the fan experience by opening up innovations for real-time streaming of immersive video using multiple cameras, latency-sensitive applications like VR, and much more. 

In short, the future of sports with 5G technology is exciting. From the way fans watch games to how stadiums operate and even how the athletes train and perform, 5G is set to revolutionize the sports industry. And as the technology continues to develop, its full potential will undoubtedly be realized, leading to innovative applications that we can only begin to imagine. 

Now, let’s hear from the fans!

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