Ultra good.
Using 5G Ultra for HD audio/video on the go. Plus, V Teamers show up for their communities when they are needed most.
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Happy Friday! On today’s episode of Up To Speed Live, host Raquel Wilson shared the following updates:
Week in review
Before we get to talking about the benefits of 5G Ultra Wideband, here are some top hits from the week.
Tuesday: We gave back for Martin Luther King Jr. Day by participating in the National Day of Service.
Wednesday: We went Ultra! We heard from CEO Hans Vestberg and CTO Kyle Malady about what this means for the future of 5G and we kicked off the employee contest for the 5G Ultra Challenge.
Thursday: George Koroneos took us back to school in a George Talks Tech that was all about 5G 101. It was a great refresher and definitely one to check out!
Ultra Hi Def
Hopefully, you’ve had a chance to watch the 5G Ultra Show, which highlighted our Ultra innovations. Today’s episode focused on one of those six ‘Reasons To Believe’ — video and audio streaming in HD — so anyone can stream video and enjoy video chat without WiFi and without frozen faces. Why? Because streaming on the go shouldn’t mean settling for less quality.
“HD audio and video let customers hear and see their content with more clarity and immersion than ever before,” shared Product Marketing Manager Zack Williams. “ With HD audio, you’ll be able to hear everything you’ve been missing. And with 360 Degree Sound, you get right into the middle of the action. With HD video, you’ll get pictures so clear you’ll feel like the actors are right in the room with you. The difference is night and day. As we continue to roll out this ultra-fast network across the country, more people than ever will have that opportunity.”
Raquel spoke live with Andrea Caldini, VP of Product & Technology-Business. Andrea, who also was a star in our Ultra Show, shared what it was like to be on the set that day with celebrity actresses Elizabeth Banks and Ming-Na Wen, and how Andy Choi helped her so much with her script — and her nerves. “He was a lifesaver. I can’t thank him enough.”
Andrea also talked about the incredible opportunities that Ultra Wideband is bringing to developers and consumers. For example, it’s now technically possible, though a product has yet to be commercialized, for a solo driver to chat with a hologram of a friend in the front seat to help keep them company.
“With Ultra, it’s going to go further and impact more people,” said Andrea. “These are the things that are now possible with 5G.”
5G Challenge
Don’t sleep on the 5G Ultra Challenge! V Teamers can send in a video showing a creative way to pitch 5G Ultra Wideband to anyone — your mom, friend, uncle, barista, you name it. And if your video is selected, you could be crowned the 5G Ultra challenge champion and receive some Ultra-sweet prizes.
Just remember to keep it clean and tell your message however you see fit. Focus on whatever you think is most exciting: the enhanced network, the new plans, expanded 5G Home and Business — whatever you think will get people most excited about Ultra in an ultra-special way.
Looking for some tools to help? We have those too, including assets like the Ultra Innovations or Reasons to Believe that are highlighted in the Ultra Show and all month long on Up To Speed.
Videos can be submitted starting now. If you’re uploading from a personal device, please drop your video at this link. If you’re using a Verizon device, please use this link. Note: Please label your video submission with your name and business group. Plus, we’ve got a great resource page on VZWeb with all of our 5G Ultra info.
MEC comes to four more cities
This week, we announced we're offering mobile-edge computing in four more metro areas. The addition of Charlotte, Detroit, Los Angeles and Minneapolis means we now have 17 locations where developers and businesses can build and deploy applications using Verizon 5G Edge with AWS Wavelength. Using 5G Edge with AWS Wavelength allows developers and businesses to build and deploy a variety of applications such as machine learning, Internet of Things (IoT), and video and game streaming.
Another J.D. Power win
The results are in and Verizon remains unmatched. We are the most-awarded brand in Network Quality by J.D. Power. We have now won over 175 J.D Power awards for Network Quality over the last 18 years, more than any other carrier. Congratulations to us!
Feel that good (and sustainable) energy
Building a great network isn’t our only focus. Doing good with our efforts in sustainability is another important part of what we do. That includes the strides we’ve made supporting renewable energy. “To date, Verizon has signed 20 Renewable Energy Purchase Agreements, approximately 2.6 gigawatts of renewable energy capacity,” said Jim Gowen, Chief Sustainability Officer. “That’s the avoidance of 4.8 million metric tons of CO2 annually.” If it’s possible for a planet to clap in appreciation, we know one that is doing it right now.
Help when it’s needed most
Many of you heard about the tragic apartment fire in the Bronx that took the lives of 17 people. In this particular neighborhood, like so many others, Verizon is known for being there when it matters most, and that was true yet again. When Networks Operations Manager Elizabeth Vasquez heard the news, she coordinated donations from her network operations team. That was followed by the Verizon Foundation making a $10,000 donation to the Bronx Chamber of Commerce Foundation.
April Horton from our State & Local Government Affairs team, herself a Bronx local, stepped up with thoughtfulness and empathy. She recognized that many of the displaced families were originally from Ghana and members of the Islamic faith. She realized many would be without their prayer mats and abayas. An abaya is a long garment, often black, worn by women in some Muslim countries. April helped coordinate getting these items to family members so that they would feel more comfortable while staying in the shelters.
Thank you to April, Elizabeth and all those who volunteered.
The Big 5-0
We want to send a big shout out to Larry Kiersh, Manager of Business Intelligence on the Global Network & Technology team, celebrating 50 Years of service at Verizon. Congratulations, Larry!
If you have any questions, email them to live@verizon.com.
