As Verizon rolls out its 5G ultra-wideband network, it is looking ahead to what the technology can do, specifically how the technology can help first responders.
IoT sensors inside an ambulance could provide critical diagnostic information to a waiting team of ER doctors before the patient reaches the hospital. A police officer could send video in near-real time, calling for backup at a crime scene. Environmental mapping tools could help with surveillance and improve the speed that time-consuming paperwork is done.
Verizon said drone technology in combination with 5G is another case where medical supplies and other emergency aid could be expedited to rescue teams. This is already being tested by companies, such as Google’s Wing, which runs a pilot project in Australia that delivers over-the-counter healthcare items to consumers, Drone Delivery Canada’s delivery to rural parts of Canada that do not have easy access to medical items and Matternet’s healthcare deliveries in Switzerland.
The company has already started a new program to develop and test 5G solutions for first responders through its 5G First Responder Lab — an incubator for companies to develop concepts for first responders based on 5G. Much like the 5G First Responder Lab, Verizon may not know exactly what 5G innovations lie ahead.
"As Verizon deploys 5G, it is critical that we look beyond the launch for consumers and consider how users in public safety can leverage this revolutionary technology," said Nick Nilan, director of public sector product strategy for Verizon. “5G will enable technology for first responders that hasn’t been imagined yet.”
Verizon Wireless made its 5G wireless network live in two cities, with plans to turn the next-generation cellular wireless technology on in at least an additional 30 cities this year.
