BT Group launched a testbed to develop and trial a range of XR applications across work, home, health and entertainment, using its mobile unit EE’s 5G infrastructure and private networks.

The operator stated it is inviting partners and customers to collaborate at the testbed and explore opportunities and challenges of capabilities including network exposure functions, cloud-rendering, enhanced localisation and 5G in delivering XR use cases.

BT wants to understand how networks, platforms, services and apps can be optimised for cloud GPU-rendered immersive XR experiences delivered over EE’s public and private 5G networks.

It believes immersive XR has the potential to revolutionise numerous aspects of society, but warned development relies upon strong foundations in networks, technologies and standards.

While the testbed will initially be a testing environment, BT added it had already completed demonstrations of services for car retail, education, sports broadcasting and medical imaging.

Andy Gower, head of immersive connect and comms research at BT, said it wants to use the testbed to understand what future experience might require from a network service provider like BT, platform operators and application service developers, which he noted would vary depending on use cases.

“By understanding the demands of future service use cases, networks, platforms and applications can be optimised to provide the best possible quality of experience for users.”