Contactless shopping at portable shops, untethered internet access at pop-up locations and backup connections for wired connections are three 5G use cases promoted by carriers recently.
As they continue to expand their 5G networks, three major carriers highlighted those as ways the technology can be used in business operations and commerce.
Reimagining the Shopping Experience at Sporting Events
For example, Verizon announced May 4 that race fans attending the Formula 1 Crypto.com Miami Grand Prix that’s running May 6-8 will be able to buy food and beverages at the track by simply tapping their credit card as they enter the shop, picking out the goods they want and then leaving — they’ll receive a receipt via text minutes later.
The contactless shopping at this portable venue, The Hard Rock Stadium Express Shop, is powered by 5G Ultra Wideband and mobile edge compute. The shop was developed by Verizon, AiFi and the Miami Dolphins and uses AiFi’s computer vision technology to track items as they are selected from the shelves and Verizon’s 5G capacity and upload speeds to power that tech.
“This is a great opportunity to reimagine the fan and shopping experience at sporting events,” Srini Kalapala, senior vice president of Verizon technology and product development, said in a statement announcing Verizon’s participation in the event. “This is only the tip of the iceberg as to the experiences that 5G and edge compute can unlock.”
See also: Samsung Agrees to Supply Dish Network 5G Equipment
Transforming Service to Customers
T-Mobile highlighted another 5G use case — fixed wireless access — during a live-streamed event held May 4. During the hour-long presentation, the company launched T-Mobile Business Internet nationwide, offering the service to any business within its wireless footprint.
Because fixed wireless access offers high-speed broadband via 5G and without a wired connection, it enables businesses to set up the internet in temporary, pop-up locations, the company said in a statement announcing the launch.
The average small and remote office uses an estimated 80 to 140 gigabytes a month, T-Mobile Business Group President Callie Field said during the live-streamed event.
“5G offers incredible opportunities for businesses and governments to drive innovation, reinvent their operations and transform how they serve their customers,” Field said, announcing the new business plans.
Providing a Backup Option for Business Data Applications
AT&T, too, is promoting wireless broadband to businesses. To promote the service during National Small Business Week, the carrier announced the launch of an offer with Square. Businesses that purchase AT&T Wireless Broadband or AT&T Business Fiber will receive waived credit card processing on up to $10,000 in card sales from Square.
The company noted on its website that one of the use cases of wireless broadband is that it offers businesses a backup connection for times when their wired connection is in high demand or has failed.
“Whether it’s used as the primary or failover service, AT&T Wireless Broadband can provide a cost-effective network alternative for business-critical applications, a diverse backup option for business data applications, and a quick deployment option for new and remote business locations, including work from home,” the company says on the site.
See also: Slow 5G Uptake Could Be Achilles Heel of Metaverse’s Retail Rollout
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