Telia Company has identified eSports has “one of the most interesting use cases” of 5G, as it held its latest public demonstration of the cellular technology.
At today’s (2 August) Assembly festival in Helsinki, the country’s largest gaming and technology event, parents and children competed in the PlayStation 4 game Overwatch using a Nokia test base station and Intel 5G Mobile Trial Platform.
The operator has identified 5G’s ultra-low latency and extreme reliability as key features that would enable online gaming.
Janne Koistinen, Telia Finland’s 5G Program Director, said: “We have tested 5G in different contexts with our customers, and now we wanted to bring 5G to the test for the specialist audiences at Assembly.
“For 5G, esports is one of the most interesting use cases, because both the connections and the gear must offer the best and most trustworthy options available.
“The low and stable latency equivalent to fixed connections is one of the winning assets of 5G in the world of gaming.”
In May, Telia set up a 5G network on the 28GHz band in Helsinki’s Kamppi shopping centre to connect gamers to a Nokia base station.
Telia has its own eSports team and Telefónica and Vodafone have also sponsored and partnered with teams.
Telefónica said it had identified eSports as a means of engaging with younger consumers.
Telefónica Spain’s Chief Strategy and Data Officer Oscar Candiles said in March: “We decided to enter this space at the beginning as a communication tool… in order to start engaging with young people.
“eSports is a territory very linked to connectivity and technology, so it is very aligned with our business and our brand.”