By Peter Cohen
Verizon and Oracle announced Monday a new partnership that brings Verizon’s 5G millimeter wave (mmWave) service, which it brands 5G Ultra Wideband, to Oracle’s Industry Lab in Deerfield, Illinois. The goal of the new partnership is to accelerate the testing and deployment of new 5G solutions for enterprise and industry.
“At the lab, customers will be able to collaborate with dozens of partners to ideate and validate new solutions leveraging the latest technologies, including connected devices, drones, augmented reality, robotics, visualization, artificial intelligence, and more,” said the companies.
Verizon operates 5G Innovation Hubs across the US to incubate 5G use and development across industries. The newest addition to the roster is Arizona State University’s Learning Futures Collaboratory. Verizon and ASU are collaborating to create “5G-powered educational experiences that are more inclusive, equitable and accessible.” The company now operates five 5G labs in the U.S. and one in London, England.
CEO of Verizon Business, Tami Irwin sees continuity with Oracle given Verizon’s existing 5G incubation efforts, calling the Deerfield location “the perfect testing ground” for new 5G innovation.
“By uniting Oracle’s deep suite of vertical and horizontal technology with partner solutions and Verizon 5G, we will be able to help our joint customers reimagine the future of their enterprises,” said Irwin.
Oracle’s executive vice president of vertical industries, Mike Sicilia said that 5G services will be fundamental to solving pressing environmental and commercial challenges.
“Our mission at the lab is to bring partners and customers together to forge new paths and solve really complex problems in a hands-on testing environment. As we tackle issues such as sustainability, smarter manufacturing, and creating more resilient energy and water systems, it will take an ecosystem worth of experience and ideas to bring viable solutions to life,” he said.
Possible use cases for the Oracle Industry Lab include collaborations on “large construction models with massive amounts of data flowing through Verizon’s 5G network. This includes sharing drone laser scanning and video data with BIM (building information management) models to fuel predictive insights that can help mitigate potential schedule risks and improve project outcomes.”
Oracle expands the Industry Lab’s scope
Oracle first opened an Innovation Lab in Chicago in 2018 as a digital transformation incubator for construction and building markets. The company has since moved operations a new facility in Chicago’s north suburb Deerfield and greatly expanded its scope.
Today, Oracle’s Industry Lab “is a hands-on space that allows Oracle Utilities, Oracle Construction and Engineering, and Oracle Communications to inspire, innovate, and explore with our partners and customers,” according to Oracle Industries Innovation Labs director Ashish Agarwal.
The site is being used to simulate regional energy distribution scenarios using renewable resources, for example.
“We can simulate real-world use cases and model grid impacts using deployable technologies, enabling proof-of-concept trials that can be run quickly and safely in a lab environment,” said Agarwal.
