The two companies started their 5G collaboration in 2018 with a 5G Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) trial in Cluj county, Romania, where Orange mobile customers became the first European users to experience at home 5G services. Now, the companies are ramping up their efforts to bring the benefits of 5G to users in Romania.

At Untold, which drew over 335,000 attendants last year, Orange Romania and Samsung have set up 5G use cases to offer immersive experiences powered by the 5G network’s ultra-low latency and ultra-high speed, unfolding the potential of the next generation technology for all to see. The demonstrations include real-time streaming of the performances, captured by 360-degree cameras built onto the arena’s main stage. The stream is shown at an Orange VR zone set up outside the arena, providing a uniquely immersive viewing experience to fans who visit. The companies are also holding an event demonstrating 5G download speeds reaching above 1Gbps, with a latency reduction of 50% on that experienced when using current LTE technology.

“With these successful demonstrations, we are showcasing the experiences that 5G can bring to Orange customers in Romania,” said Emmanuel Chautard, Chief Technology Officer at Orange Romania. “Together with Samsung, we’re showing live network capabilities, with proof that goes beyond just impressive speeds more centered on the customer experience.”

“5G offers more than just a faster connection; it enables transformative use cases that will benefit people and businesses across the industry,” said GY Seo, Senior Vice President and Head of Global Sales & Marketing, Networks Business at Samsung Electronics. “These joint demonstrations allow for a glimpse into the new kinds of services and capabilities that will be made possible as we unlock the potential of 5G for users across Europe.”

The trial at Cluj Arena, where the festival is taking place, makes use of Samsung’s latest solutions, including 5G Massive MIMO Units (MMUs), which support the 3.4-3.8GHz frequency band. Samsung 5G MMUs have already been rolled out across Korea by all three Korean 5G operators for use with their 5G commercial service, which launched in April of 2019. This commercially proven MMU is one of the smallest and lightest in the industry, making installation in existing cellular sites very straightforward.

Samsung Electronics, Worldwide Olympic Partner in the Wireless Communications Equipment category, announced a new Olympic initiative seeking to unite the world through inspiration and the power of connection during the Lillehammer 2016 Youth Olympic Games. As a global leader in mobile technologies, Samsung is committed to enhancing the Olympic Movement through innovative products and providing athletes and fans around the globe with memorable one-of-a-kind experiences.

With a series of event activations and unique programming, the Samsung Galaxy Studios will make the Lillehammer 2016 Youth Olympic Games inspiring and unforgettable for fans throughout the city and Olympic venues. Leading up to the Youth Olympic Games, Samsung will spread the spirit of the Games to young fans around the world through marketing campaign, “The Only Way to Know.” The campaign will be brought to life through an integrated, cross-platform marketing approach including a wide variety of on-site activations as well as digital and traditional assets.

“We understand that challenges facing today’s youth can be daunting, and we are committed to providing opportunities and programs designed to inspire them along the way to never lose sight of their hopes and dreams,” said Younghee Lee, Executive Vice President of Global Marketing, Mobile Communications Business at Samsung Electronics. “Samsung is proud to spread the Youth Olympic Games spirit both in Lillehammer and around the globe and create new experiences designed to reach youths through our state-of-the-art technology and riveting VR content.”

For the Lillehammer Youth Olympic Games, Samsung and the International Olympic Committee will partner to deliver the first ever Olympic content in Virtual Reality. The action will also be real for fans watching remotely, with Samsung offering the opportunity to tune into the VR Live Streaming of the Opening Ceremony via Samsung mobile device, feeling the energy of the crowd as the athletes enter the stadium.

“Samsung is a longstanding Worldwide Olympic Partner that is dedicated to empowering fans, both during the Olympic Games and Youth Olympic Games, through innovative technologies and breakthrough experiences,” said Timo Lumme, IOC TMS Managing Director. “We are honored to partner with them on this first-of-its-kind VR live streaming offering, just one of the ways that we can ensure boundaries of what are possible for both youths on the ground and those watching remote are constantly being pushed.”

Samsung will further maximize the excitement of the Lillehammer 2016 Youth Olympic Games by utilizing its latest technology with highly-engaging experiences, including:

Feeling the Passion of the Sports: The Gear VR Experience

To celebrate the opening night of the 2016 Youth Olympic Games on February 12, the Samsung Galaxy Studio in Lillehammer and other select locations will provide unparalleled experiences through VR Live Streaming and allow users to feel fully immersed in the Opening Ceremony. By simply pairing the Galaxy smartphones with Samsung Gear VR, the first-ever live streaming will showcase immersive angles of the Olympic torch lighting, Parade of Nations, and other Ceremony events. In addition, daily VR highlights will feature a variety of winter sports, including speed skating, snowboarding, figure skating, ski jumping, and more, and these contents will be available for public following the event.

From February 11-21, three Samsung Galaxy Studios – the VR Bus, VR Monument and the VR Station – will be set up in various locations around Lillehammer to provide a variety of immersive, never-before-felt experiences for youths, spectators and athletes. Visitors will have exposure to Samsung mobile products including the Samsung Galaxy S6 edge+, Galaxy S6 edge, and Galaxy S6 and be given the opportunity to try a winter sport through immersive VR experiences with Gear VR. A unique 4D VR offering will be available at the VR Station, where studio visitors can sit in theatre-like chairs and feel the exhilaration of ski jumping, stepping outside of comfort zones to experience something they never would’ve dreamed possible.

Capturing the Dreams of Young Athletes with Technology

Youth Olympic Games hopefuls, including Norwegian Vebjørn Hegdal, will be featured in the TV/ digital commercial “The Only Way to Know,” dedicated to telling the story of youths who battle through constraints both in life and in sport. Through Samsung Galaxy, youths are encouraged to forge their own path and share their journey on social media with the campaign #THEONLYWAYTOKNOW.

Additional digital and social content will be provided throughout the Lillehammer Games by 47 IOC Young Ambassadors representing 39 different countries around the world. The Young Ambassadors program, which is entering its fourth Youth Olympic Games cycle, encourages youths to be curious and stay active through sports. As part of the program, the youth ambassadors are featured interacting with Samsung Galaxy S6 edge+ to share self-expression and stay connected throughout their stories of inspiring bravery in sports and in life.

Lillehammer 2016 Winter Youth Olympic Games will be held February12-21, 2016 in Lillehammer, Norway.

About Samsung’s Involvement in the Olympic Games

Samsung began its Olympic Games involvement as a local sponsor of the Seoul 1988 Olympic Games. Beginning with the Nagano 1998 Olympic Winter Games, the company extended its commitment to the Olympic Movement as the Worldwide Olympic Partner in the Wireless Communications Equipment category, providing its proprietary wireless communications platform, called Wireless Olympic Works (WOW), and mobile devices. These innovative mobile phone technologies provide the Olympic Family with real-time, user location-based information service, interactive communications, and mobile payment on-site. Samsung hosts various Olympic campaigns to share the excitement of the Olympic Games with people around the world and enable everyone to participate in the Games through its innovative mobile technology. Samsung’s commitment as a Worldwide Olympic Partner continues through to Rio 2016, PyeongChang 2018, and Tokyo 2020.