By administrator | 07 July 2021 | Uncategorized

Having just wrapped up our amazing week attending MWC, we are thrilled that the event was able to go ahead as normal, or at least as close to normal as we can get during these times. 

Year after year the show continues to amaze us, with announcements that always one up those from previous years. From 5G to global connectivity, we’ve put together just a few of our many highlights from the show.

Verizon talks 5G and promises a robotic future 

Verizon’s CEO Hans Vestberg led an insightful presentation on the power of 5G, where he claimed that the pandemic has sped up the adoption of 5G by up to 7 years. Whilst this may seem significant, given how reliant both consumers and businesses became on technology during the pandemic, it certainly doesn’t come as a shock. In fact, it seems almost expected. It’s fair to say that virtual meetings and video calls have become the primary source of communication for businesses around the world, and we have developed a strong reliance on mobile networks. 

Verizon’s presentation took an exciting turn when Rima Qureshi, the Chief Strategy Officer at Verizon, introduced the audience to two robots. Qureshi highlighted the importance of 5G connectivity to allow robots to communicate and connect with other devices. In the latest innovation from Verizon, these robots are able to now receive enough information to perform behaviours based on their surroundings, as opposed to simply basing their actions off of commands. 

The good news is, Verizon also hopes to make these robots more accessible and affordable, and as a result we could see greater conversation surrounding robotics, as well as faster adoption in the technology industry over the coming years.

Nvidia’s drive for greater collaboration 

Multinational technology company Nvidia delivered a virtual special address which discussed the importance and benefits that AI can deliver. One of the topics we found fascinating was the mention of CloudXR 3.0. CloudXR is a VR cloud system which uses 5G, and allows companies to collaborate with colleagues and stakeholders in an improved immersive augmented reality experience. The 3.0 aspect announced at MWC, enhances the collaborative experience through the use of bidirectional audio to enable real-time communication amongst colleagues around the world. 

Innovations such as CloudXR 3.0 are a great tool in driving motivation amongst employees. Video calling and virtual collaboration has become a staple of our working lives, and Nvidia, amongst others, continue to push innovation in this field. A fully immersive collaboration experience can make each interaction more enjoyable and productive, transforming the way in which we work. 

Elon Musk plans for global connectivity 

Elon Musk made a digital appearance at MWC to answer some questions and continue to showcase the SpaceX innovation Starlink, which provides high speed internet access through the use of thousands of low orbit satellites. The Starlink project currently consists of over 1,500 satellites, and aims to focus on those low and medium populated areas that wouldn’t typically have access to significantly strong internet. Not only that, but due to the location of the satellites, Starlink can deliver similar latency to on the ground technology, aiming to achieve under 20 milliseconds. 

But what does this mean for us? 

Well, Elon Musk hopes to continue to rapidly grow Starlink, and according to Tech Insider, Musk plans to have 42,000 Starlink satellites up and running in the next few decades. So far, only 60% of the Earth has access to a reliable source of internet, so imagine what this new innovation has potential to achieve. 

We thoroughly enjoyed our week at MWC and our return to face-to-face events. Congratulations to the organisers for putting on an innovative and covid-safe show, we can’t wait to return in 2022!