Sneak peek at Australia’s first 5G Lab

By Deon Liebenberg

Take a sneak peek at Western Australia’s new state-of-the-art 5G innovation lab by Optus Enterprise and Curtin University, opening its doors in May 2021.

Announced last year, the Optus and Curtin 5G lab was the first industry-university 5G collaboration space announced in Australia and will be a game-changer for 5G research and advancements in the country. 

The lab will provide students and faculty with an on-campus 5G lab for research, teaching, collaboration on 5G projects, and exploring the technology's potential benefits for society and businesses.

It will give staff, students and industry access to cutting-edge technology and provide a testbed to conceptualise new applications of 5G that will make a substantial contribution to the Australian economy and industry.

Construction on the bold, immersive and dynamic space commenced in July 2020. When open, it will inspire and educate businesses across WA and Australia and further enhance student's learning experience through Optus’ mobile network.

Enabling digital skills and collaboration of the future

With Optus 5G enabled on Curtin’s campus, students will be able to learn new digital skills by collaborating with industry and experience the power of 5G through practical, hands-on applied research.

5G will allow better integration of emerging technologies, such as virtual reality, augmented reality and artificial intelligence into teaching and learning programs.

As a leader in 5G technology in Australia, we understand that it is a critical component for businesses embracing the fourth industrial revolution. Curtin University's early adoption of 5G and a hyper-connected campus of the future will allow industry-leading research that has potential world-changing impacts.

5G will provide advances artificial intelligence, robotics and medical training and stimulate future economic growth through groundbreaking innovations across a range of industries.

Accelerating opportunities for Australian industries

By developing fresh thinking and new possibilities from 5G, we hope to accelerate opportunities for both national and WA industries, including mining, oil and gas, agriculture and health.

Enterprises that move quickly to 5G will enjoy commercial benefits, including agility, increased revenue, decreased costs and market differentiation.

For instance, 5G will unleash transformative services across the health sector to effectively care for patients remotely and in real-time – a trend that has accelerated as COVID-19 continues to impact people’s behaviours and the healthcare sector.

For logistics companies, 5G will offer the ability to increase the short-range tracking of goods using barcodes and scanners and process and collect data more accurately and faster. And in factories, enterprises will be able to introduce more precise manufacturing processes and improve safety.

At Optus, we are also working hard to build Australia’s fastest 5G and recently smashed the Australian commercial 5G mobile download speed record in Sydney and Melbourne. We will continue to invest in building our 5G network and delivering customers with a true 5G experience.

Follow our 5G journey as we accelerate into 2021 and stay updated with our news here.