Right now, the way we live, learn, work, and play is being reimagined. But the technology of the near future will require powerful networks with the speed and capacity to support rich, immersive experiences. The next generation services featured here are currently in development, and coming to homes. We’re already building the networks to be ready for the future. It’s closer than you think.
From commuting to work to communicating with family, our daily routines will be redefined in fascinating ways.
Autonomous cars have potential to positively impact traffic congestion, driver safety, productivity, and more. These amazing vehicles already exist, and could be on the mass market in the near future. But they require significant daily data updates of 12 to 15 gigabytes per day, or 200 to 300 gigabytes per month. To make their potential a reality, robust home networks will be critical.
The ability to stay close to people no matter where they are is perhaps one of the most meaningful uses of technology. With distance VR, geographical barriers are overcome, with multiple people in different locations being able to feel like they are in the same place. For these experiences to be smooth and seamless, they will demand fast, low latency networks. VR could use as much as 20 times the data than being used today.
Media rich lessons will transform students’ ability to learn in captivating new ways.
Holographic displays have seen significant advances in recent years and will soon be revolutionizing the way we consume information. Homework can be immersive, interactive, and more interesting than ever. But these holographic interactions are comprised of millions of 3-D pixels for each frame, requiring a robust network with the size and speed to transmit a tremendous amount of information.
Long distance collaboration and interaction will be transformed, offering incredible ways to connect in real time.
In the near future, a home office will put you in the same conference room as colleagues far away. Video walls will provide rich and shared experiences across distances, and will allow for collaboration and interaction with all kinds of media in real time. This type of interface will require a high-speed network with very low latency for optimal function.
Entertainment will be fully immersive—mixed media will help create experiences unlike anything before.
Virtual Reality is experiencing tremendous growth, and we can expect it to change gaming and entertainment in ways we never thought possible. Soon, we will be able to transform our homes into entirely new worlds. With a simple VR video using 300 megabits per second, this immersive technology requires powerful networks that can be shared throughout the home.
The most complex technology featured combines local VR with Distance VR to allow people in different places to participate in a local mixed reality experience. This type of interaction extends far beyond gaming and enables families and colleagues to engage in a totally immersive way over great distances. Just as this technology is more than you could have imagined, the network needed to support it is equally impressive.
And we’re building the network to make all of this possible.
As technology continually advances, so too do the demands on our nation’s broadband networks. The average US household is expected to use 291GB per month by 2020, up from 120GB in 2015. That is why we are working every day to expand the speed and capacity of the network to unleash these experiences. Gigabit networks with low latency will bridge long distances and enable our homes to be technology hubs that can support these rich, immersive, and totally transformative experiences.