M1 partners with Gardens by the Bay, ESPL to enable 5G powered metaverse

M1 Limited (M1), one of Singapore’s leading Mobile Network Operators (MNO), has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Gardens by the Bay and Electronic Sports Pte Ltd (ESPL) to provide fast-speed 5G connectivity and immersive metaverse experiences in Gardens by the Bay’s indoor venues.

The enhanced connectivity and cloud infrastructure provided by M1 will open up new opportunities for phygital events to be held at the Gardens and in its Digital Twin – a re-creation of the Gardens in the metaverse, developed by ESPL.

M1 and ESPL will work with Gardens by the Bay to enable metaverse experiences that complement the Gardens’ physical offerings. An example of a metaverse concert in Gardens by the Bay’s Digital Twin, featuring an avatar of Singapore-based artiste DJ Red interacting with the audience against a virtual backdrop of Supertree Grove, was showcased.

Audiences with a 5G-enabled mobile device can access the metaverse and catch their favourite music artistes perform in a real-time immersive environment. This metaverse technology is also applicable to the MICE industry as it adds a new dimension to physical exhibitions and conferences and allows participants from around the world to interact with the content and with one another in the metaverse. The high-speed and low-latency connectivity of 5G also supports educational technology to bring curricula to life and capture the imagination of students through extended reality and gamification.

“Offering metaverse experiences is an exciting milestone in our True 5G rollout roadmap. M1 is constantly pushing the bar with our 5G capabilities, and we’re proud to roll out 5G within the Gardens by the Bay as well as power its digital recreation made by our partner ESPL. The ability to give audiences a live and immersive experience both physically and virtually has immense potential to deliver rich content on-the-go. We are excited to unlock new metaverse opportunities for the entertainment, MICE and tourism industries and help Gardens by the Bay become the garden of the future,” says Willis Sim, Chief Corporate Sales and Solutions Officer, M1.

“With the enhanced 5G connectivity, we look forward to working with M1 and ESPL to create even more interactive and immersive experiences in Gardens by the Bay, offering a phygital option for event organisers to expand their reach beyond the physical confines of the venues here, to engage people from around the world,” says Lee Kok Fatt, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Gardens by the Bay.