Hologram telephony?! The German mobile operator O2 wants to make this possible from 2026

Mobile phone provider Telefónica Deutschland (O2) wants to launch hologram phone calls, in which the person you are talking to as a three-dimensional image, by 2026. The technology will then be integrated into the company’s own system, a spokesperson said.

“The product should be ready for the market in two to three years,” the company’s chief technology officer, Malik Rao, told German news agency DPA in Munich. “We want to start with business customers and in a second step also offer this to the mass market.”

O2 is currently testing holography, which uses virtual reality (VR) glasses, at its Munich campus, where the company is celebrating the 25th anniversary of its network on Monday. This started in Germany in 1998 under the then company name Viag Interkom. Bavarian Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU) is expected as a guest and will make a hologram telephone conversation.

The industry is working on standards

A project by German mobile phone network operators Telekom, Vodafone and O2, French company Orange and Japanese technology startup Matsuko has been underway since last year to define standards for connections between the networks. This should make holography possible not only within a network, but across networks, for example from an O2 customer to a Vodafone customer.

Mobile operators are working individually to enable holography in their networks. We are making good progress, says O2 innovation manager Karsten Erlebach. “We are holding the first hologram conferences as a test, but the technology still needs to be further developed.” The 5G radio standard is important for holography, but it is also possible with a fixed fiber optic line.

And the competition?

A Vodafone spokesperson says they are testing the day-to-day viability of hologram telephony with Matsuko: “We recently conducted an intercontinental hologram telephone call between participants in Great Britain, Canada and the US under live conditions with other partners for the first time.”

A Telekom spokeswoman says they are investigating and testing the technology. “But there is still a way to go before hologram technology is ready for the market.”

Different types of holography

There are several holographic versions. In the most advanced version, the caller puts on virtual reality glasses and then sees a 3D image of the called person while looking into their smartphone or tablet. A camera records him. Matsuko software uses the recordings to develop a 3D image that appears in the caller’s VR glasses. However, the person being called does not see the other person in 3D. It is possible that both callers put on VR glasses and both have a 3D image in front of them. Both images can then be seen with VR glasses, which cover their eyes.

Another type of holography is used in group conversations or conferences. People look into tablets or smartphones without glasses and see the participants in the conversation on their screen as if these images were sitting in front of them – in the same room on the other side of the table. This should appear three-dimensional, but the effect will probably be limited due to the lack of VR glasses.

According to Erlebach, transmitting a hologram requires a bandwidth of 20 megabits per second. “This is feasible and less than what is required when streaming high-resolution 4K movies.” To see the 3D image smoothly, 35 images per second must be transmitted – this is easily possible with “5G standalone” – i.e. pure 5G without 4G technology.

O2 and Bitkom see great potential

But does holography actually have what it takes to become a mass phenomenon – or is it only for fans of proven technology? Erlebach is convinced of the potential. In the beginning, companies in particular would take advantage of this and organize virtual meetings in which holograms could convey a sense of connection.

The digital association Bitkom also emphasizes the benefits of the technology. “Communication with people in other places becomes more realistic through hologram telephony,” says Head of Consumer Technology Sebastian Klöss. Holograms can give the impression that the other person is in the same room, even if they are somewhere else. “This promotes collaboration between locations in a professional context and personal contact with friends and family.” Facial expressions and gestures can be conveyed better. “The technology offers the opportunity to enable a more emotional, realistic exchange even over long distances,” says Klöss.

For a strong three-dimensional flair you need VR glasses, so additional equipment is necessary. It costs. The providers include Microsoft, Meta and Apple. The price of Meta Quest 3 is over 500 euros. “The quality of glasses improves from model to model and prices tend to decrease,” says Erlebach.

According to him, holograms such as those seen in ‘Star Trek’, ‘Star Wars’ and other science fiction films are still a thing of the future. In such works, images of people suddenly appear in the middle of the room and are clearly visible to everyone, even without VR glasses. Fog or mesh – transparent material – can be illuminated from below in such a way that three-dimensional images are created, says O2 manager Erlebach. “But that is very expensive.” Such tools are therefore not suitable for the introduction of holography in telecommunications. “That’s something for visual effects in stage shows, but nothing for personal conversations.” (sda/dpa)