AT&T, Ericsson, Intel and Warner Bros. showcase the potential of 5G through a mixed-reality experience featuring DC's Batman and The Scarecrow at MWC19 Barcelona

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Feb 20, 2019, 08:00 ET

BARCELONA, Spain, Feb. 20, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Through 5G-powered location-based, mixed-reality, fans will have a chance to be virtually immersed in an experience featuring DC's most tech-savvy Super Hero Batman and Super-Villain The Scarecrow at MWC19 Barcelona.

AT&T, Ericsson, Intel and Warner Bros. with DC will collaborate to use innovative 5G technology, coupled with edge computing, to provide MWC19 visitors with an opportunity to virtually explore a location-based mixed-reality experience. During the demonstration combining virtual and augmented reality, visitors will see how Batman defeats DC Super-Villain The Scarecrow in an action-packed immersive experience using a digital model of their encounter. The demonstration will be available in both the Ericsson booth (#2O60 in Hall 2) and Intel booth (#3E31 in Hall 3) in Fira de Barcelona.

Advancements in augmented and virtual reality have been pushing more interactive and engaging forms of media and entertainment. The consumer mixed-reality experience has historically been limited by being tethered, but this experience will allow users to interact in the environment while being mobile. The experience demonstrates a way forward for lightweight mixed reality devices.

This demonstration will run on a fully integrated 5G network powered by Ericsson Radio Base Stations and enabled by Intel® Xeon® Scalable processors and the Intel® 5G Mobile Trial Platform. Offering the latest evolution in mobile broadband technology and distributed cloud remote rendering, this solution delivers a high-quality immersive experience through a faster, highly secure and efficient network.

The demonstrations at MWC19 Barcelona build upon a proof-of-concept demonstration conducted in December 2018 on the University of Southern California (USC) campus in Los Angeles, California. Working with the USC School of Cinematic Arts, the companies provided students an opportunity to experience a context-aware, mixed-reality experience designed by USC's Mobile & Environmental Media Lab, powered by 5G and edge computing.

"5G will change how we create and engage with entertainment, making it possible to virtually transport into new worlds of imagination and possibility," said Barbara Roden, Vice President of Network Experiences, AT&T.

"At Warner Bros., we look forward to continuing to explore the power of 5G to deliver high-quality location-based entertainment experiences to our fans," said Justin Herz, Executive Vice President, Digital Product, Platform and Strategy, Warner Bros. Entertainment. "It is by working closely with partners who are leaders in 5G that we can develop compelling immersive user experiences that will break through to a mass audience and bring our most iconic characters, such as DC's Batman and The Scarecrow, to life."

"The low latency of 5G in combination with distributed cloud unlocks a world of possibilities in mixed reality, allowing for a more realistic and immersive entertainment experience," said Kevin Zvokel, Vice President, Networks, Ericsson North America. "Working in collaboration with other innovative companies on this project, Ericsson is able to take visitors on an exciting journey with DC's Super Heroes and Super-Villains, showcasing just what the technology means for the future of entertainment."

"With 5G, immersive experiences are going to be the norm for entertainment brands, with new business models that build fan loyalty and engagement in a memorable way," said Lynn Comp, Vice President, Data Center Group, and General Manager, Visual Cloud Division, Network Platforms Group, Intel. "Intel helps service providers by providing a flexible platform based on an agile cloud architecture and advanced 5G networks to enable next generation mixed reality solutions such as this."

This ongoing collaboration showcases how 5G capabilities such as low latency and high bandwidth combined with the speed and scalability of data centric technologies can provide a faster network and the flexibility for enabling an enhanced, multi-user mixed-reality experience.

ABOUT ERICSSON

Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERIC) enables communications service providers to capture the full value of connectivity. The company's portfolio spans Networks, Digital Services, Managed Services, and Emerging Business and is designed to help our customers go digital, increase efficiency and find new revenue streams. Ericsson's investments in innovation have delivered the benefits of telephony and mobile broadband to billions of people around the world. The Ericsson stock is listed on Nasdaq Stockholm and on Nasdaq New York. www.ericsson.com.

ABOUT AT&T

AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) helps millions around the globe connect with leading entertainment, business, mobile and high speed internet services. We have the nation's largest and most reliable network** and the best global coverage of any U.S. wireless provider. We're one of the world's largest providers of pay TV. We have TV customers in the U.S. and 11 Latin American countries. More than 3 million companies, from small to large businesses around the globe, turn to AT&T for our highly secure smart solutions.

AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc. Additional information about AT&T products and services is available at about.att.com. Follow our news on Twitter at @ATT, on Facebook at facebook.com/att and on YouTube at youtube.com/att.

ABOUT WARNER BROS.

Warner Bros. is a global leader in all forms of entertainment and their related businesses across all current and emerging media and platforms. A WarnerMedia company, the fully integrated, broad-based Studio is home to one of the most successful collections of brands in the world and stands at the forefront of every aspect of the entertainment industry from feature film, television and home entertainment production and worldwide distribution to DVD and Blu-ray, digital distribution, animation, comic books, video games, product and brand licensing, and broadcasting.

Batman and Scarecrow ™ & ©DC.

*Other names and brands may be claimed as the property of others.

Contact: Jimmy Duvall, 214-543-9830, [email protected]

SOURCE Ericsson