Deutsche Telekom lines up VR and AR over 5G for Bayern Munich

Deutsche Telekom and football club FC Bayern Munich have teamed up to deploy 5G mobile coverage around the Bayern Munich club grounds from spring 2020, enabling fans to use augmented and virtual reality apps on 5G-enabled devices. 

Work on developing the applications is slated to start this year, with Deutsche Telekom setting up antennas around the grounds in spring next year.

The first tests may take place earlier, outside the stadium, as the 5G expansion programme is already underway in the local area in the north of Munich, according to the telco.

“Deutsche Telekom is working with FC Bayern Munich to open up the world of 5G technology to soccer spectators. Fans visiting the Allianz Arena will be able to explore a whole new dimension in soccer through VR and AR. We’re helping bring the club and its fans even closer together, which is of course in keeping with our motto – ‘Life is for sharing’,” said Michael Hagspihl, head of consumers at Telekom Deutschland.

“The Allianz Arena stands for quality, progress, and innovation. We are really pleased we can offer our supporters this very special technology so early on, thanks to the support of our long-standing partner, Deutsche Telekom. Following on from the comprehensive expansion of Wi-Fi in 2015, 5G technology is the next logical step in making the whole match experience in the Arena even more attractive,” said Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, executive board chairman of FC Bayern München AG.