BT Group has announced a collaboration with global racing championship, SailGP, which will see its 5G Standalone network slices capabilities deliver connectivity to the event’s operations and enhance the fan experience at the Emirates Great Britain Sail Grand Prix in Portsmouth, July 19-20.
As official technology supplier for the Portsmouth event, in which 12 national teams compete on the waters of the Solent, BT is working closely with SailGP and Ericsson, the championship’s global technology partner.
This will see BT provide two dedicated network slices tailored to the event’s specific requirements, enhancing connectivity and complementing Ericsson’s role in delivering high capacity, reliable network performance for SailGP.
SailGP marks the first time that BT has delivered multiple concurrent network slices at the same event, showcasing the technology’s ability to keep fans connected to event experiences as well as power the delivery of seamless operations behind the scenes.
Also new to the UK event is SailGP’s 360-degree AR/VR experience, which will allow fans to experience what it’s like to be onboard an F50. This experience will use new higher capacity 5G radios, being tested in Portsmouth by BT and Ericsson, that will enable ultra low-latency performance.
Kerry Small, chief operating officer, Business at BT Group, commented: “In partnership with SailGP, we’ve demonstrated this by using network slicing to streamline event operations and bring fans closer to the action than ever before. It’s a powerful example of how we’re evolving the UK’s best network to deliver next-generation connectivity and more immersive experiences.”
Warren Jones, chief technology officer of SailGP, said: “Bringing SailGP back to UK shores after three years is a major milestone, and delivering a world-class, tech-driven event is critical to the success of it. Partnering with BT has allowed us to push the boundaries of what’s possible in sports connectivity.”
