Conference News Supplements Meet the Midlands Supplement | Page 7

Getting
5G ready
Stuart Cain, chief executive at Coventry’s Ricoh Arena, outlines
how his venue has one eye firmly on the future
he advent of a new
decade will have many
event professionals
pondering what lies
ahead for the industry over the
coming years, but we’re already
ahead of the curve at Ricoh Arena
where we are investing in 5G that will
kickstart a golden era for the events
sector.
Towards the end of 2019, the
Vodafone Business Lounge was
launched at Ricoh Arena – a space
where businesses can experience
new technology such as 5G and the
Internet of Things, where everyday
objects are internet-enabled, and
high-speed fibre.
Research by Vodafone revealed
that 76% of business leaders in the
sports industry confirm their
organisation will use 5G as a
platform for innovation, with 74%
believing it will underpin efforts to
meet rising fan expectations.
The same principle can be applied
in the conference and exhibition
industry where organisers want to be
wowed and given the platform to
take their event to the next level.
It is when you walk through the
doors of the lounge that the
excitement really hits you, and the
realisation hits home of how
influential 5G technology is going to
be across society as the technology
rolls out across the UK.
Visitors to the Vodafone Business
Lounge at Ricoh Arena will be able to
take advantage of some of the
permanent displays within the lounge
– these include a 5G drop-goal
virtual reality experience, and a ‘Day
in the life of 5G’ showcasing the
impact 5G will have on the sports,
Above: A VR experience in
the Vodafone Business
Lounge
retail and automotive industries.
But what does all of this mean for
conferences and exhibitions that are
coming to Ricoh Arena?
We are seeing more event
organisers asking us what we can
deliver for them that is truly different,
and this partnership with Vodafone
marks the start of a whole new level
of discussion with the 700-plus
conference and exhibition organisers
that visit us every year about how the
technology can enhance their own
events.
Over time, we expect 5G to widen
the use of virtual reality and
augmented reality within
conferences and exhibitions that will
really push the boundaries of how
event organisers are engaging with
their delegates and visitors.
This engagement could range from
visitors using their smartphones to
view a live setting overlaid with digital
content – through to using VR
headsets for interactive exercises.
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We’ve
Meet the Midlands
already
trialled 5G
technology at a Wasps rugby match
where a small number of seats have
been able to provide live data, match
footage and the ability to order food
and drink to their seats. This service
is still in its infancy but is one that
has potential to offer greater
operational efficiency for event
organisers and greater convenience
for visitors.
Thanks to the speed and
low-latency of 5G technology I also
think you will eventually see events
- conferences especially - broadening
their audience reach to individuals
across the globe both via live
streaming and VR headsets for
highly immersive experiences.
The UK’s first haptic transfer over
5G will give you an idea of the
transformational potential. Two
players from Wasps rugby team were
able to run a training session despite
being more than 100 miles apart.
The impact of a rugby tackle made
by Will Rowlands at Ricoh Arena in
Coventry was transferred via
Vodafone 5G to teammate Juan de
Jongh on stage in London. Juan, in a
specially developed haptic Tesla suit,
was able to feel the force of the
tackle in real time.
Ricoh Arena is now one of the
most technically advanced venues in
the country, and by gathering input
and feedback from conference and
exhibition organisers and analysing
this with our technology partners
Vodafone and Ericsson, we are
perfectly placed to maximise the use
of 5G technology for the events
industry over the coming years.