Optus, Ericsson pave way for 5G wearable devices with Australian-first over-the-air data call

Optus and its industry partners have achieved a major milestone by successfully completing Australia's first over-the-air data call, paving the way for the development of 5G wearables, video surveillance and other smart devices.

The trial used was conducted on Optus' cutting-edge 5G network using Ericsson's pre-commercial Reduced Capability (RedCap) - a new RAN software that enhances existing 5G use cases and enables new ones for AR devices, wearables such as smartwatches, and industry sensors by lowering complexity and extending battery life. For instance, RedCap can power future smart cities with applications in smart grids, environmental sensors, predictive maintenance, utility meters, and more.

With this successful trial, Optus can now enable 5G in simpler, low-power, and low-cost RedCap devices in the future.

"Optus is always pushing the boundaries on network technology to find ways to improve the experience of our customers. This trial is about catering for 5G for wearable devices, like watches, so customers can benefit from accessing the most up-to-date technology in their daily lives. With this Australian-first data call, we are paving the way for future 5G wearable devices," said Lambo Kanagaratnam, Managing Director of Networks at Optus.

Using RedCap, the operator can further unlock new use cases such as new applications for consumers, industries and enterprises. For instance, RedCap can also improve operational efficiencies with optimised cost structures for the robust industrial IoT, accelerating the industry 4.0 transformation with 5G private networks.

By bringing reliable wireless connectivity and seamless mobility to enterprise and industrial devices, RedCap can connect more equipment with fewer cables, process monitoring sensors for deeper operational insight, smart surveillance cameras for personnel safety, and handheld and wearables for enhanced human-machine interaction.

"We are pleased to be working with Optus and MediaTek to bring the benefits of Ericsson RedCap to Optus’ customers. With this advancement, Optus can offer enhanced 5G connectivity for everything from consumer wearables to industrial sensors in a way that is both cost and energy-efficient, unlocking a whole range of new use cases," said Martin Wiktorin Head of Ericsson's Global Customer Unit, Singtel.