IoT in the Wild, the Economy of Things and Taylor Swift breaking the Internet

Welcome to 5 Minute Digest – our newsletter on the latest technology developments at Vodafone. Take a look at the latest innovations and insights below ⤵️

IoT in the Wild enters its next phase 🦁📶

In remote areas of Africa, many communities face conflict with wildlife. For example, an elephant trampling crops or predators attacking livestock. This can lead to both animals and humans getting hurt.

So, how can connected technology help us live together peacefully?

Our latest prototype, m-Twiga, harnesses the power of AI and IoT to detect different animal species and deter them from conflict. A Vodafone team recently tested it in Kenya – see how they get on in the video below.

Our team recently tested this technology out in the field. See how they got on below…

Discover more about our m-Twiga project and how it aims to protect wildlife for the future.

Digital twin technology maps trees 🗺️🌳

Global warming has caused cities to become warmer. In Germany, this has led to a loss of natural sites and caused the maintenance of greenery to become much harder.

In Erlangen, Germany, we’ve been working with local authorities on a clever system to help look after their trees more efficiently.

Using sensors buried underground to monitor factors like soil temperature and humidity, we have collected data to create digital models of the trees, like virtual twins.

This digital mapping helps us better understand the trees' needs, allowing the city to water them more precisely, reducing wasted water.

Discover how this project will protect Erlangen’s trees and save a significant amount of water.

Taylor Swift’s fans break new Internet records 🐍💗🙌

It’s official. Taylor’s fans set a new record for data consumption on Vodafone Portugal’s networks in Lisbon during her hugely popular Eras Tour concerts.

The numbers were beyond our wildest dreams...

▶️ 3.8TB on Day One

▶️ 4.8TB on Day Two

▶️ Both breaking the previous 2.5TB record in 2023

There’s no bad blood though – Vodafone Portugal’s 5G networks were able to handle it in style, securing its reputation for handling big events.

Vodafone Portugal made sure customers were connected, with every blank space covered.

Discover how Taylor Swift’s fans broke Internet data consumption records.

Understanding the Economy of Things 🔗

You may have heard of the Internet of Things (IoT), but have you heard of the Economy of Things (EoT)?

With the Economy of Things, devices don’t just collect data, they can also securely transact and trade with each other automatically without human intervention.

For example, imagine an electric vehicle that can communicate directly with a charging station and automatically pay for you. The potential for Economy of Things is endless.

Watch below to learn all about it ⤵️

Discover Pairpoint, our global Economy of Things platform.

5G is 5 years old 🎂

5G is officially five years old – and it’s still growing. So, what’s next?

At the DSP Leaders Forum, our Director of Network Architecture Santiago Tenorio , shared his predictions for the future of 5G. At the top of his list were AI, Open RAN, and Mobile Private Networks (MPN) – bringing about a new era of industrial internet.

Take a look at our predictions for the five ways 5G will dominate over the next few years.

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