Be part of the future before it happens - Watershed and the Smart Internet Lab at the University of Bristol invite you to explore the future potential of the next generation wireless connectivity (5G) with this weekend of free events in Millennium Square and We The Curious.

There will be spectacular 3D-like projections, a gorgeous virtual reality dance piece, a guided tour on which you take a walk through time, and a programme of talks and demonstrations that are open for everyone. We need your help to take part in this research and experimentation to really engage with the opportunities (and challenges) that 5G technology presents.

We’ve asked artists and creatives to really test its capability and potential - in response they have created some brilliant, meaningful experiences that we would like you to come and try out for us. As part of the Layered Realities Weekend 5G Showcase we are also presenting two of our Playable City Commissions; Stop Smile Stroll and Shadowing which play with the idea of Layered Realities and the ways technology can bring new life to our cities. So if you want to be ahead of the curve (5G is due to be fully rolled out by 2020) then please come and take part.

As well as the events/experiences listed here, there will also be other activities and demos running in Millennium Square from 12:00noon on both Sat and Sun. You can choose to make a day of it or just turn up for one of the experiences in the weekend’s programme. Check in at the temporary Box Office in Millennium Square on the day to get further details.

Tickets

Online ticket sales for the Layered Realities - 5G Showcase Weekend have now closed. There will be a limited number of free tickets for all ticketed events available at the temporary Box Office in Millennium Square (to the left of the entrance of We The Curious) during the weekend. Please visit between 11:30 and 17:00 on Saturday and Sunday to enquire.

What is 5G?

5G is a reinvention of the internet for an always connected, interactive world. Above ground, it will include the next generation of wireless connectivity - offering massively increased speed, capacity and reliability compared to 3G and 4G. In addition, 5G represents a range of interconnected technologies which will supercharge the internet, offering a huge increase in bandwidth, allowing more things to connect at once, and reducing latency (the delay or lag in between request and response). This will enable near real-time interactivity across home, work and public spaces, adding up to a smarter internet where data is gathered and analysed locally as well as in the cloud. Read more about what 5G might mean in the future.