Vodafone serves up 5G network slicing centre court at Wimbledon

Vodafone is showcasing network slicing at Wimbledon to show live serves from Centre Court in real time.

A robotic arm receives serve information over a dedicated 5G+ network slice and replicates the speed, angle and trajectory of each shot. Fans can face serves from current players as well as iconic moments from Wimbledon history.

Vodafone is, Official Connectivity Partner of The Championships, Wimbledon. The “5G+ Serve” experience at Wimbledon Park, allows members of the public to attempt to return serves from the world’s top players moments after they are struck on court.

The tech uses Vodafone’s new 5G+ Local Slicing capability which reserves a dedicated portion of network capacity to guarantee performance for specific applications.

Vodafone said the installation demonstrates how low-latency, assured connectivity can support immersive fan experiences in high-density environments, even when many thousands of spectators are simultaneously connected around the tournament grounds.

Vodafone launched 5G+ Local Slicing earlier this year, claiming it is the first UK mobile service to offer businesses contractually assured mobile network performance. The technology is designed to provide enterprises with a private “fast lane” over public mobile infrastructure.

Andrea Dona, Chief Network Officer at VodafoneThree, said: “

“By using a dedicated network slice, we can deliver the speed, capacity and reliability needed to recreate professional serves in real time, creating a once-in-a-lifetime fan experience, even on a busy network.”

Dona added that VodafoneThree had enhanced network capacity across Wimbledon through additional C-band spectrum.