The mobile operator Vodafone presented possible robotic functions in the future at the IFF Karlovy Vary, using a small robot. The first “public” demonstration of the mobile network 5G in the Czech Republic was successful also thanks to experts from the company COM PLUS CZ. “Our team has done a great job in demanding conditions requiring a high professional level and creativity. In a very short time, our engineers managed to build a complete infrastructure necessary for the operation of the 5G network at the specific location,” said Pavel Šmíd, a technical director from COM PLUS CZ.
According to Vodafone representatives, 5G is expected to be approximately ten times faster than LTE, up to two Gbit/s. The baud rate and capacity are going to be faster and the response time is going to be significantly shorter. The real speed achieved during testing ranged around 1.8 Gbit/s. On average, LTE has 40 to 50 Mbit/s in the real traffic. Connectivity of all devices was the key element in the presentation of the 5G Internet. “The Vodafone team, which we were part of, managed to set a small robot in motion, using the 5G network. It was all the more interesting that it happened under real conditions, not in a laboratory,” said Mr. Šmíd, adding: “Finally, everything worked as it should. Our team accomplished their task perfectly.”
The balancing small robot was the main attraction of the demonstration. With the short response time, the robot remained in the upright position thanks to the fact that the gyroscope inside was able to send the data about the movement of the robot body, the network managed to process them and transmit the command for the stepper motors in the wheels on the basis of the evaluation. However, when the response time drop to the level common for the today’s LTE networks, the small robot began to lose its balance. With even longer response time, the control loop “froze” and the robot fell to the ground. The device which was able to keep the robot on its feet also included an interesting panel antenna. For 5G, it is more robust and powerful than the commonly used antennas. Inside, there are 64 independent antennas which are able to control and change their radiation patterns by themselves. This will help the 5G networks with the increase in the capacity and faster response time. “The greatest advantage of the 5G technology, compared to LTE, will be the even faster baud rate and significantly shorter response time”, explained Mr. Šmíd.
The auctioning of 700 MHz and 3.5 GHz frequencies, which are essential for the operation of 5G, will take place next year. The actual operation of the new network for commercial purposes can be expected within two years. “We have been cooperating with Vodafone since its inception on the Czech market. The company is one of our most important customers. This year we managed to extend the framework contract for the construction of the mobile network for the next five years. This contract will enable us to further develop the company, especially with regard to the deployment of new technologies related to the high-speed Internet 5G and the technologies linked to IoT. In the coming years, we expect massive development of these technologies. We appreciate the confidence Vodafone has given us when they chose our company to implement the solution,” said COM PLUS CZ CEO Jan Ullrich.