Huawei signs collaboration agreements with TPCAST and Mediapro to collaborate on 5G AR/VR

[Dubai, UAE, October 24, 2018] Huawei, a leading global provider of information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure and smart devices, has signed agreements with TPCAST, who introduced the world's first commercial wireless virtual reality (VR) solution, and the multimedia communications giant, Mediapro, to collaborate in the development of 5G virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR). The agreements took place at the Middle East Huawei 5G Ecosystem Conference during Huawei Innovation Day on October 15, 2018, at the region's largest technology exhibition, GITEX, in Dubai.

The collaboration will be enabled by the emerging 5G broadband digital ecosystem. Huawei is a pioneer in the emerging technology that will provide users with multiple gigabit speeds within homes, offices and public spaces. Faster Internet speeds will enhance gaming and video streaming capabilities. Consumers will have easier access to smart technologies driven by the Internet of Things. Networks will have a far lower latency, allowing for deeper smartphone penetration.

Huawei and TPCAST will jointly develop a cloud-based VR project in the Middle East. As part of the collaboration, Huawei will provide its Cloud video and VR platform which allows video content to be accessed, managed, and operated efficiently, along with high specification Set-Top-Boxes (STB). TPCAST will provide ultra-low latency codec, a VR back-end control protocol, as well as multi-user wireless VR central management. Both parties will share their global and local ecosystem partner resources to open market exploration in Middle East.

Huawei and Mediapro will collaborate in the distribution of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) over 5G networks. Some of the first industry use cases for 5G are expected to be in VR and AR. 5G will provide a platform for VR and AR to live stream media through Huawei's media cloud application.

"Within the 5G platform, the Huawei-TPCAST collaboration will also broaden the opportunities within both VR and augmented reality (AR)," said Reiner Pes, General Manager of TPCAST EMEA. "Our codec technologies will be a key factor for both accelerating the development and launching these opportunities to the market."

"We are confident this collaboration will accelerate the development of 5G broadband," said Omar Pleite Guerra, General Manager of Mediapro Middle East. "It comes at a crucial time. Telecoms consulting and research firm, Analysys Mason, predicts that by 2030 potential 5G revenue opportunities from new digital services in the media and entertainment industries across the GCC are expected to reach $31 billion."

Mr. Wang Su, Vice President of Marketing Huawei Middle East added, "Huawei, through establishing the Middle East 5G ecosystem program, provides the cloud-based use case development platform, and supports the integration and verification of 5G use cases. Huawei's E2E 5G low latency solution and TPCAST's codec technology will together offer an enhanced experience of VR services. This partnership will promote operators in the region to seize these new opportunities for growth."

Within the theme '5G is Now, Sailing to New eMBB Horizons', this year's 5G Ecosystem Conference focuses on how 5G will reshape the Middle East's digital ecosystem. As a leading telecommunication supplier, Huawei starts the 5G research from 2009 and contributes the most key technologies for global unified 5G protocol. Huawei is also the first of the industry to provide end-to-end 5G solutions with competitive roadmap to accompany our partners to build 5G leadership.