How 5G is Expected to Change the Face of Rugby Forever
Technology is making it easier and easier for us to do what we want to do, when we want to do it, wherever we are. This process of making our lives more versatile has been going on, in some capacity or another, for centuries – although the real changes certainly began to kick in around the time that personal computers and cell phones first come into the picture.
5G is, of course, touted as the epitome of versatility. It is billed to open up the parameters of our professional lives, facilitating a true philosophy of ‘work on the go’ – the likes of which we have never seen before. Also, our social lives and the world of entertainment are preparing to undergo a seismic transformation as the fifth generation mobile network enables us to live beyond the constraints of what came before.
It may well all seem too good to be true – or like something from a commercial, rather than a reflection of any real life experiences. That said, the potential 5G holds for sport is already proving itself to be well and truly worth the hype – and rugby fans should take note of some of the incredible developments coming their way, courtesy of the fifth generation mobile network.
Read more below.
More Flexible Streaming
From streaming the World Series of Poker hosted at GGPoker to the Indianapolis 500, 5G will enable all of us to stream live events to an incredibly high quality. The low latency and high speeds offered by this network promise to raise the bar for live streaming events as and when they happen, and to ensure that we never live to regret investing in a 5G ready device.
For rugby fans, this means that we no longer have to feel tethered to our home computers of TV sets each time a game is on – nor do we even have to be close to a reliable Wi-Fi connection. Whether we are travelling cross-country or enjoying the sun with a few friends, we can rest assured that the game will reach our phones in real-time, without lagging behind at precisely the wrong moment.
Virtual Coaching and Tracking
Beyond the games themselves, 5G makes it all the more possible for teams to break down geographical barriers and offer top notch coaching to players who are not, at that time, in the immediate vicinity. At this point in time, virtual training is restricted by quality but, once again, 5G promises to enable technologies as exciting as holographic calls, first trialled back in 2018, which will enable a seamless training experience for players in the future.
What’s more, player tracking can be enhanced tremendously by the introduction of 5G. In a research poll conducted by Vodafone in the United Kingdom, for instance, more than 75% believe that 5G will enable player performances to improve tremendously when utilised to improve tracking
Bringing New Technologies to the Fore
Not only does 5G offer plenty of opportunities on its own, but it also enables the sporting world to invest more into other, modern resources which serve to improve the game not only for the teams, but for the spectators, too.
Augmented reality, television match official, and virtual reality – to name just a few – will ensure that fans can gain instantaneous access to better coverage than ever before. Rather than the linear broadcasts we have been used to for the past five or six decades, 5G will support better broadcasting and better streaming, which will then come together to ensure that fans who cannot make it into the stadium still have access to a multidimensional experience of each and every game, as they happen.
The roll out of 5G is still ongoing, and it is expected to take a few more years before the majority of us have reliable access to this new mobile network. Until then, we can look forward to the myriad changes it is expected to bring to the world of rugby –for the players, the coaches, and the fans – and, in a broader sense, the wider world of sport.