Verizon, Globe target gamers with 5G

• Verizon strikes another gaming partnership
• Globe tests cloud gaming using 5G
• Gaming an early sweet spot for 5G and edge

As telcos seek ways to develop new revenue opportunities, especially around their 5G propositions, they’re increasingly turning to the gaming community.

Verizon is certainly throwing its marketing resources into this area: A few weeks ago it struck a deal to become the official 5G and 4G network sponsor of FaZe Clan, and work with the esports giant “create live events and original content showcasing the impact Verizon's 5G Ultra Wideband network can have on gaming content and the transformational experience it enables for fans, players, and creators.” 

Now the US operator has become the 5G and 4G LTE network partner of Twitch Rivals North America, a tournament series made for Twitch streamers: “Twitch and Verizon will co-create 5G concepts over the course of the partnership, exploring the impact 5G can have across the industry,” noted the CSP about its latest 5G/esports hookup. 

It’s not alone in focusing on this sector. In the Philippines, Globe has been seeing if its 5G network is up to the task of handling high-quality cloud gaming streams, and claims it has made the cut. “Globe tested the possibility of enabling gamers to play graphics-heavy games without needing a console or a high-powered computing gadget by marrying cloud technology and 5G low latency and ultra-fast speed,” noted the operator. 

It added: “The continuous roll out of Globe 5G will not only change the way we play our favorite online or console-based games, but this is also a leap to a lot of other possibilities that this technology can bring. With Globe 5G, the future is closer than ever,” gushed the fabulously-named Coco Domingo, Globe’s Vice President for Strategic Platforms and Partnerships.

Cloud gaming is a great proof-point for 5G as it needs not only reliable and high-speed downstream connectivity but also low latency. It has also been one of the prime use cases for developments in telco edge computing, with specialist companies such as Ori Industries, a UK-based edge technology company that has bene working closely with Telefónica and BT, building their early R&D work around gaming service requirements.   

For more recent gaming-related developments, see:

• Intel delivers advances across 6 pillars of technology
• SK Telecom and Microsoft to Launch Xbox Cloud Gaming in Korea Next Month
• Shipments of servers located at the edge to double by 2024
• 3.5 billion ‘gamers’ globally by 2024, but cloud gaming must evaluate business models in order to survive

- Ray Le Maistre, Editorial Director, TelecomTV