by SAVIOUS KWINIKA
JOHANNESBURG – THE hugely-successful live stream hosted by Huawei on Telkom’s fifth generation (5G) temporary network indicates the revolutionary impact 5G will have on entertainment, business and other industries.
This is according to Huawei after more than 7,6 million people around the world tuned in to watch the live stream from Western Cape’s Boulders Beach, home to the largest group of African Penguins in South Africa.
“The popularity of the live stream demonstrates just how transformative 5G will be, not just in business and entertainment but also for education, conservation, and the promotion of tourism,” said Yang Chen, Vice President, Huawei Southern Africa.
Held on December 9, 2021, the live stream was designed to showcase the capabilities of 5G and illustrate the power of technology in protecting the environment and in attracting tourists to areas of natural beauty.
Some 6,7 million people watched the video live, with 7,6 million watching in total.
Additionally, the video received more than 40 million impressions across Huawei’s social media channels and more than 1,7 million engagements across three major social media platforms: Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
“The Boulders Beach live stream allowed people from around the world a unique opportunity to experience a natural wonder,” Chen said.
He said this demonstrated the role 5G and other technologies would play in educating people on nature and the importance of protecting the natural world.
“The successful event also comes at a critical juncture in the scaling of 5G in South Africa and helped create a new path for 5G business development.”
The live event had the support of the Department of Digital Communications and Technologies.
Minister Khumbudzo Ntshavheni said the streaming of the Penguin colony was an innovative way to engage potential tourists from far and wide within Huawei’s reach.
This is anticipated to stimulate foreign tourist interest in the area.
“Post pandemic travel is immersive with opportunities for enhanced technologies to give tourists a digital-first experience of a destination,” the minister said.
Chen said Huawei was fully committed to using technology as an enabler of conservation.
The Boulders live stream and the one Huawei hosted at a remote Chinese panda sanctuary in June 2021, are among ongoing conservation initiatives by the company around the globe.
– CAJ News
