VodafoneZiggo and Ericsson, along with Brainport Development and High Tech Campus Eindhoven, have launched a new “5G co-creation environment” in Eindhoven, Netherlands.
Located in High Tech Campus Eindhoven’s building 25.3, the 5G HUB features a testing laboratory, training facilities and a 5G and IoT demo studio.
The 5G HUB will let companies, start-ups and students experiment with test applications, define new business models and explore live test cases and pilots related to artificial intelligence, machine learning, robotics and artificial/virtual reality.
The Radio Communications Agency of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate has granted 3.5GHz spectrum for the 5G HUB, ahead of the Netherlands’ spectrum auction expected in September 2022.
Connected ambulance
One of the first pilots is a ‘connected ambulance’ developed by Philips, VodafoneZiggo and Ericsson in cooperation between the local GGD ambulance service and Eindhoven’s Catharina Hospital.
The partners are researching how 5G can support ambulance crews to perform on-site ultrasounds with remote assistance from a physician in the hospital.
Eben Albertyn, Chief Technology Officer, VodafoneZiggo, said, “With our high-performance networks, we are a leading force in 5G developments in the Netherlands, and, together with Ericsson and our other partners involved, we are excited to be involved in driving this development forward through the 5G HUB.
“The 5G HUB gives us direct access to the evolving 5G technologies and competences that will serve critical functions in the societies of tomorrow. This is an excellent opportunity to facilitate the exploration of new applications with stakeholders in a very real way.”
First-hand experience
Arun Bansal, President and Head of Europe and Latin America, Ericsson, added, “With the 5G HUB, the doors to experiencing 5G applications first-hand have been opened in Eindhoven.
“As the first of its kind in the Netherlands, the 5G HUB will bring real value to students, companies, researchers, and end users alike with the chance to engage with 5G and IoT innovations in a unique way.”