In Dendermonde, Proximus NXT teamed up with EventPay to test the possibilities of 5G slicing to ensure smooth payments at these busy events.

In the temporary network configuration in Wintermonde (Christmas event in Dendermonde), a specific network section with guaranteed capacity for payment processing was created. This was only accessible to a limited number of EventPay devices. Thanks to this “reserved” portion of available network capacity, EventPay was guaranteed that its services would continue to function smoothly, without the need to install additional capacity on-premises and without the risk of network saturation.

During the first weekend of Wintermonde, approximately a third of payments at the event were made through devices connected to that specific area.

The unique feature of slicing that differentiates it from previous cellular technologies makes 5G an interesting option for solutions where guaranteed connectivity is a necessity. The setup in Wintermonde was a first successful test, but there are many other possible applications, such as real-time data exchange, communication or remote assistance in emergency situations.

Following this initial test, Proximus plans to conduct several more proof-of-concepts with customers in the coming months. The first commercial cutting products are expected in 2024.

Earlier this week, Proximus announced that it would launch a 5G network at the Flanders Expo in Ghent. The network infrastructure being created there offers a mix of private and public 5G connectivity.