The announcement follows the launch of Samsung’s Networks Business in Australia in April 2021, and since then, the company has been exploring the delivery of Samsung’s leading 5G mmWave technologies to the nation.

TPG Telecom, a leading mobile network operator in Australia, operates a number of leading mobile and internet brands in Australia including Vodafone. Recently, TPG Telecom announced its investment of AU$108 million to acquire spectrum in all available license areas in the 26GHz band – tripling its total spectrum holdings. With abundant mmWave spectrum, TPG Telecom will be able to offer high speed data services and immersive use cases for its mobile and home users. TPG Telecom’s extensive fiber assets combined with a network of small cells will enable the deployment of vRAN architecture.

For the trial, Samsung will provide its Compact Macro and vRAN solution. Samsung’s latest 5G Compact Macro brings together a baseband, radio and antenna in a single form-factor. This compact and lightweight solution can be easily installed on the sides of buildings, as well as on utility poles, for the swift build-out of 5G networks. Samsung’s industry-leading commercial vRAN solution is built on the company’s independently developed stack, and runs on commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) servers. As a leader in vRAN, Samsung has commercially deployed its vRAN solution in wide scale for global Tier 1 operators’ networks in markets outside of Australia, and recently expanded its capability to support 3.5GHz Massive MIMO radio, which many industry voices had said would be hard to support with vRAN. Moreover, Samsung’s 5G vRAN on mmWave, already commercially deployed in global markets, including Korea, Japan and the U.S, has the capacity to support multi-gigabit speeds, delivering IT technology efficiencies and deployment advantages, while offering transformational 5G mobile experiences.

“We are very pleased to partner with Samsung as part of our new Innovation Lab to drive product and technology innovation by trialing virtualization,” said Iñaki Berroeta, CEO at TPG Telecom. “Deploying mmWave spectrum on our 5G network together with vRAN architecture will allow us to develop exciting 5G use cases for industry verticals and enable the delivery of even faster speeds and greater capacity for our customers.”

“Samsung is excited to begin this trial with TPG Telecom powered by our innovative 5G vRAN solution and latest integrated 26GHz mmWave product, which will be the first in Australia,” said Woojune Kim, Executive Vice President and Head of Global Sales & Marketing, Networks Business at Samsung Electronics. “Through a combination of our powerful 5G solutions and ongoing efforts in 5G development, Samsung looks forward to helping TPG Telecom gain the full benefits of 5G to reshape the value of mobile experiences for users and enterprises.”

Samsung has pioneered the successful delivery of 5G end-to-end solutions including chipsets, radios, and core. Through ongoing research and development, Samsung drives the industry to advance 5G networks with its market-leading product portfolio from fully virtualized RAN and Core to private network solutions and AI-powered automation tools. The company is currently providing network solutions to mobile operators that deliver connectivity to hundreds of millions of users around the world.

About TPG Telecom
TPG Telecom (ASX:TPG) is an Australian telecommunications company which is home to some of Australia’s most-loved brands including Vodafone, TPG, iiNet, AAPT, Internode, Lebara and felix.

TPG Telecom owns and operates nationwide mobile and fixed networks that are connecting Australia for the better. These include Australia’s second-largest fixed voice and data network, with more than 27,000 kilometres of metropolitan and inter-capital fibre networks and a leading mobile network comprising more than 5,600 sites and covering over 23 million Australians.

As the second largest telecommunications company listed on the ASX, TPG Telecom has a strong challenger spirit and a commitment to delivering the best services and products to our customers.

For more information, visit https://www.tpgtelecom.com.au/

A child in Chile experiences riding a boat through ancient Egypt, using the Gear VR

As part of its dedication to global citizenship activities and giving back to local communities, Samsung has been using the immersive Gear VR to bring exciting and unique experiences to many groups around the world.

With virtual reality, people can plunge into experiences that they ordinarily would not have access to, helping them to expand their horizons. By seeing and interacting with new VR landscapes, they can learn, have fun and engage with others.

Three recent programs demonstrated the power of the Gear VR – teaching children about ballet in Australia, helping the elderly celebrate Christmas in July in Australia, and presenting the exotic world of ancient Egypt to visitors to the Centro Cultural Palacio La Moneda (CCPLM) in Chile.

Dancing into Children’s Hearts

At Weave Youth and Community Services in Australia, young people there recently experienced a special four-day program to learn about ballet and even learn some moves, gaining inspiration through dance. The children got to try out movement workshops and experience ballet for themselves.

Students in Australia use the Gear VR to experience ballet

As part of the event, Samsung employees shared VR dance content with the students. For many of them, it was their first experience with the ballet. The students were encouraged to try out some of the dance moves they had seen and even create their own dance routines. The four-day event finished with a performance by the children for their friends, family and the community.

Celebrating Christmas in July

At Greenwood Cottage, a retirement facility and respite center, Samsung employees spent the day with residents of the center, many of whom have limited opportunities for social interaction and are living with cognitive decline and dementia.

At Greenwood Cottage, a respite center, residents celebrate Christmas in July

The theme for the day was “Christmas in July,” and the party events included a Christmas meal, presents, arts and crafts, a Christmas carol sing-a-long and a visit from Santa Claus.

In addition, the Greenwood residents were treated to a VR experience. They were able to enjoy waving at elephants, skiing and even meeting a dinosaur, all from the comfort of their day center.

The Gear VR lets the residents of Greenwood Cottage get out and experience the world, such as seeing elephants and skiing

“We work with them every day, so we can see how much this has meant to them,” said one member of the Greenwood Cottage staff. “I can see how much fun they had. It was very special.”

Ancient Egypt Comes to Chile

Imagine living in ancient Egypt, drifting along the Nile River, the pyramids towering in the distance. Thanks to a citizenship initiative by Samsung Electronics Chile, visitors to the Centro Cultural Palacio La Moneda (CCPLM) have been able to see for themselves what that ancient world was like, using the immersive power of the Gear VR.

Visitors to the CCPLM in Chile rave about the fun of riding a boat through ancient Egypt

Visitors to the Interactive Zone can virtually navigate the ancient Nile and experience it using digital animation, developed under the close supervision of curators and exports from the CCPLM.

The 3D virtual boat ride has become one of the most popular exhibitions, with long lines of people eager to experience life in Egypt. The guest book is full of praise, like “awesome,” “amazing” and “fun.”

At the opening ceremony, Chilean Minister of Culture Ernesto Ottone said that “any technology that can help bring people closer to culture is a significant contribution, particularly in younger generations who have such a visual approach.”

With the curators and experts of the CCPLM, an authentic look at real life in ancient Egypt has been a big hit with visitors

Due to the success of the initiative, Samsung Electronics Chile is already working on extending these efforts to other cultural areas, as well as preparing the contents for the next exhibit coming to CCPLM in September: Imperial China.

One of the most popular exhibits at the CCPLM in Chile is the Gear VR Interactive Zone

A sample of the ancient Egypt simulator from CCPLM in Chile #1

A sample of the ancient Egypt simulator from CCPLM in Chile #2

From Left: Samsung Tab S2, Samsung Gear S2, Samsung Galaxy S6, brainBAND

Samsung Electronics Australia has announced the creation of brainBAND, an innovative piece of wearable technology designed to facilitate research into concussion in sports. brainBAND is the work of Dr. Alan Pearce and Braden Wilson.

The prototype has been developed through Samsung’s Launching People program, an initiative that brings together two experts from different backgrounds to demonstrate how technology can investigate and help solve real challenges facing society.

Dr. Alan Pearce, a neuroscientist heavily involved in concussion research and education, and Braden Wilson, an industrial designer, worked with Samsung on the program. Together, they created a wearable technology prototype that can track impacts to the head in contact sports in real-time, with the aim to use this data to better understand concussion in sport and the ongoing impact on the brain.

Concussion is a growing societal issue in Australia with most incidences going unreported as symptoms are hard to see. Unlike traditional head gear designed to protect the head in contact sports, brainBAND is designed to gather information regarding an impact in real-time – a first in Australia.

Philip Newton, CMO, Samsung Electronics Australia commented on the program: “At Samsung, we have a strong belief in pushing the boundaries of technology and challenging the current perception of what is possible through innovation.

“This is why we are extremely proud to have helped facilitate the work of Dr. Alan Pearce and Braden Wilson to create the brainBAND prototype to aid research into concussion in sport.”

How It Works

In the prototype, a specially designed headband houses sensors at the back of the head that measure the force of an impact. This information would then be relayed via an app to medics, referees and coaches, all in real-time through the use of Samsung devices.

A series of LED lights embedded in the headband indicate the level of impact of a hit: yellow, orange and red for high alert, meaning a player should be taken off the field for assessment.

All impact data will be recorded and logged so that, over time, players could obtain a more complete picture of the forces their brain has been put under.

Dr. Alan Pearce, neuroscientist and expert on concussion said: “The ultimate goal is that by understanding the dangers of repeated concussions, brainBAND may help prevent life changing injuries at every level of the game, and protect the next generation of players.”

Released today, the final episode in an eight part content series curated by Leo Burnett highlights the results achieved throughout the initiative by putting the prototype to the test on the sporting field. The video can be viewed here.

Australian football sensation and Samsung brand ambassador, Israel Folau, who was the first to trial the prototype, stated, “I think it’d be great if every player in Australia had access to this kind of technology to make contact sports safer for current and future generations.”

The collaboration with Samsung Australia has inspired Dr. Alan Pearce and Braden Wilson to continue their research and development, utilising the data learned through the Mixed Talents campaign.

Follow the journey of Dr. Alan Pearce and Braden Wilson through concept to prototype, with all eight episodes published via the website (www.samsung.com.au/launchingpeople) and continue the conversation on Facebook and Instagram using the hashtag #MixedTalents