Telstra conducts 5G video calls

Telstra announced it has completed Australia’s first 5G video calls as part of its preparations for the introduction of the next-generation mobile technology.

The company completed the nation’s first commercial 5G video call at its 5G Innovation Centre on the Gold Coast last week, and yesterday followed that up with Australia’s first 5G to 5G video call between Sydney and the Gold Coast centre.

The calls were placed using a Qualcomm Technologies 5G Mobile Test Platform device and network equipment from Telstra’s technology partner Ericsson.

According to Telstra Group Executive for Networks and IT Nikos Katinakis, the milestone demonstrates how close the company is to having its network ready for the launch of the first commercial 5G devices early next year.

So far Telstra has upgraded 130 mobile base stations across Australia with 5G technology and aims to have 70 more 5G-ready by the end of the year.

“We are on the cutting edge of 5G development, and these innovations are also reaping rewards for customers on 4G. Our network upgrades to enable 5G will also improve the speed of 4G at those locations,” he said.

In a related development, China-based camera phone and consumer electronics manufacturer OPPO has announced the completion of what it says was the world’s first multiparty video call on a smartphone enabled by 5G, involving a call between engineers from six OPPO R&D institutes worldwide.

The video call was conducted over social media app WeChat, and made using a prototype OPPO 5G smartphone.

“It’s well documented Australia will be one of the first countries to roll out a 5G network. It’s exciting to see OPPO at the forefront of this technology, as we look to be one of the first companies to release commercially available 5G smartphones in 2019,” OPPO Australia Managing Director Michael Tran said.

Image courtesy Telstra.

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