Today, MTS took another step forward in bringing the future to life by hosting a two-way, long-distance holographic video call between the Company’s 5G pilot zones in Moscow and St. Petersburg.

The laser-based video conference, which took place during Russian Internet Week 2019, connected viewers at Moscow’s World Trade Center with visitors to a theater in Kronstadt, one of St. Petersburg’s most famous suburbs. Headline speakers on the call included top Russian thought leaders and tech bloggers, who engaged in a thought-provoking discussion around the potential for new 5G-based innovations to accelerate the transition to a more immersive, digital-enhanced reality.

Alexey Kornya, MTS President & CEO, commented: “Today we are excited to witness firsthand the promising future of digital innovation and fifth-generation connectivity, which will not only radically transform our daily lives, but give rise to fundamentally new products, services, and business models. With significantly higher speeds and lower latency, 5G will provide the foundation for immersive interactive experiences that bring together the physical and digital worlds. If 4G gave us video streaming and smartphone apps, then 5G will bring to life virtual and augmented reality and the Internet of Things.”

Aiden Wu, CEO of Huawei in Eurasia, commented: “Today, we successfully carried out a 5G holographic video call together with MTS — a feat which not long ago could only be imagined in science fiction. MTS has not only showcased the benefits of next-generation connectivity, but also opened the door to the exciting new world of 5G. To enable this demonstration, Huawei provided innovative connectivity and advanced IT solutions. Today we are the world’s 5G leader: 35 of the 50 commercial 5G networks that have been launched around the world today were built with Huawei equipment. In total, we have supplied over 400,000 fifth-generation radio antennae units. With the advent of 5G, all sectors of the economy — media, healthcare, agriculture, manufacturing, and sports — will be brought to a new level. And Huawei is ready to support Russia on the path of its digital development.”

Building on the event’s success, MTS also launched a #5Ghologram challenge on the TikTok social network to further raise awareness around 5G innovation. As part of the campaign, some of the region’s most popular bloggers will invite their followers to join a holographic conversation about how advanced new technologies promise to reshape the everyday world.