Singtel and Intel launch programme to help companies adopt and develop 5G solutions

A smart camera system is being developed in Singapore that could help companies detect anomalies at the workplace including intrusions and accidents, ensuring quicker response time.

The video analytics system, which is powered by artificial intelligence (AI) and taps into a 5G network for fast streaming, is being developed by software firm Ipsotek and video surveillance company Axis Communications.

It is among several ongoing projects under a new incubator programme launched jointly by tech giant Intel and local telco Singtel on Friday.

The programme aims to help local businesses test and deploy digital solutions which require 5G technology or the low latency that 5G offers, such as real-time video streaming.

One of the biggest differences between 4G and 5G is latency, which refers to the time lag between data transmission.

Bill Chang, Singtel’s chief executive of group enterprise and data centre business, said companies are trying to find the right digital solutions that will help them be more productive, cost-effective and sustainable.

“The Singtel-Intel collaboration aims to make the road to digital transformation – powered by 5G – simpler, faster, and at a lower cost for businesses,” he added.

Under the programme, companies can also develop and trial their solutions on Singtel’s Paragon platform, where they can tap Singtel’s 5G network and multi-access edge computing (MEC) technology to deploy their projects.

MEC technology brings computing equipment, such as for storage, closer to the end user in a network.

This way, data from end-user sources, such as a security camera or drone, can be processed and stored without needing to be sent to a server that is further away.

This allows the data to be secure and reduces transmission time, enabling users to make quicker real-time decisions.

In a statement on Friday, Singtel said its new content delivery solution, which uses 5G MEC technology to reduce the time needed for videos to load, has undergone successful trials.

It will be launched commercially soon.

Other projects being trialled under the programme include a mixed-reality solution which allows multiple users to work together on 3D models at the same time and a liquid cooling system for data servers.

Intel’s executive vice-president and chief commercial officer Christoph Schell said 5G MEC technology could also be used in designing urban environments.

“You could use that in city planning for a sewage system… plan it on a digital twin before you actually start building,” he said.

Chang said 5G technology will likely be mainstream in five years.

“It’s a rising tide; everybody’s going to jump on board,” he said.

 

SOURCE: NEWS AGENCIES