Ericsson and Far EasTone unveil 5G Smart Ambulances at MWC 2024

At Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2024, Taiwanese operator Far EasTone and Ericsson today showcased "5G Smart Ambulances" enabled by network slicing in the telco's 5G Standalone network.

The service aims to enhance connectivity between ambulance staff and remote medical experts for fast and precision treatment. The service exemplifies the potential of 5G in improving the quality and efficiency of emergency medical services with high-throughput and low-latency communications.

"The 5G Smart Ambulances leveraging network slicing, equipped with the “remote diagnosis and treatment service platform” designed by Far EasTone, significantly enhance connectivity between ambulance staff and remote medical experts for fast and precise treatment," explained Chee Ching, President of Far EasTone.

The use case demonstrates how 5G Quality of Service (QoS) can be employed for high-resolution video streaming and vital signs transmission to enable emergency rescuers to align more closely with medical experts to improve the precision of rescue services and, ultimately, patient outcomes.

Feedback from an initial survey conducted by Far EasTone among emergency medical professionals has been overwhelmingly positive, with a 90 percent satisfaction rate regarding the quality of communication. Additionally, 82 percent of the survey respondents were satisfied with the guidance and assistance provided by remote medical experts.

Commenting on this development, David Chou, President of Ericsson Taiwan, said, "Ericsson’s network slicing technology plays a pivotal role in enabling differentiated services and ensuring guaranteed performance. We remain committed to supporting our customers in building high-performing networks on 5G Standalone architecture to fully unleash the potential of 5G. With our industry-leading technology, we are confident in our ability to drive the advancement of premium services through differentiated 5G connectivity, providing value to our customers."