Intel celebrates Olympic countdown with partner KT in South Korea

Intel is collaborating with South Korea’s KT Corporation to develop a 5G showcase for the 2018 Olympic Winter Games in PyeongChang.

During the games, KT will deliver the first broad-scale 5G network paired with Intel 5G technologies that will enable a series of immersive on-site 5G-powered experiences, according to Intel’s Sandra Rivera, senior vice president and general manager of the Network Platforms Group.

“The upcoming Olympic Winter Games will offer a preview of our 5G future,” she said in a blog post. “Our joint activations will give visitors a unique opportunity to experience 5G technologies.”

There’s been a big countdown ahead of the Olympics, with participants celebrating the 100-day mark on Monday. The Olympics traditionally has been the venue for highlighting new technologies, including color TV and satellite broadcasts back in 1964.

RELATED: KT gets ready to show off 5G for PyeongChang 2018 Olympics

Visitors to the upcoming games will get a glimpse of wireless broadband at gigabit speeds, ultralow-latency video distribution and livestreamed immersive content. KT set up cameras at venues throughout the Olympic stadiums, including the cross-country ski course, where there will be video streaming with cameras staged at various positions around the area.

Intel high-performance processors will be on the stage, as well as the Intel 5G Mobile Trial Platform and Intel 5G network technologies (including FlexRAN technology) that will be activated on the 5G network at a variety of Olympic locations.

RELATED: Intel to deliver 5G platforms, drones and more at Olympics

Intel CEO Brian Krzanich talked about using drones during the Olympics at an event that was held this past summer when Intel announced it had joined the Olympic Movement, making it an official Olympic partner through the 2024 games. Intel has been exploring drones for several years, and one of its biggest breakthroughs has been in the entertainment space.

The shooting star drones during Lady Gaga’s Super Bowl performance were designed and choreographed by Intel. The company actually started working on drones as part of a mission to replace fireworks with technology for safety reasons.

So visitors to the games in South Korea in February are likely to see quite the show. Intel has said it will also provide real-time virtual reality viewing of the Olympic Winter Games, so fans who are not at the games will be able to experience events as well.