Whatever comes next, we'll be ready.
From hurricanes to derechos to wildfires, our Network team continues to deliver. Plus, a new type of football fun from Verizon Media.
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On today’s Up To Speed, Andy welcomed Hans Vestberg, Kyle Malady, Guru Gowrappan and Joe Russo. The team shared the following updates:
Wildfire update
Heidi Flato of Corporate Communications gave us a live update from the U.S. West Coast, where she reported that 13 states are dealing with wildfires. Thanks to our amazing Network team, there have been no major impacts to customer experience. At the same time, we’re making sure the needs of public safety first responders are taken care of.
CES 2021
We learned that Hans will be delivering the kickoff Keynote at CES 2021, the largest consumer electronics show in the world. Congrats to Hans — and to all of us as a company — for this great honor.
Virtual VLC meeting
Kyle gave kudos to the entire Global Network & Technology (GN&T) organization, thanking the team for the great work in the midst of so many severe weather events. Kyle quoted a line from the Credo: “We work 24x7 because our customers depend on us 24x7.” Joe Russo discussed our response to all of the weather-related crises of 2020 and how we plan and prepare for these types of events.
Kyle also shared his thoughts on the RootMetrics and PC Mag results and our continued focus on our 5G buildout. We remain on track to have nationwide 5G in the United States by the end of the year.
New ways to enjoy football
With a year like 2020, we may need diversions like pro football more than ever. Guru shared the Yahoo feature, Watch Together, a new way to watch live events like sports by allowing fans to immerse themselves in the experience while live chatting with their friends. To try it out for tonight’s NFL games, download the Yahoo Sports app.
New 5G documentary: Speed of Thought
Reminder: “Speed of Thought,’ a new documentary about the first wave of 5G visionaries, is now available on the Inside Verizon app under the Webcasts tab. Download the app on your work or personal device from the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store. After a one-time device registration, you will have a one-step login process using face or fingerprint ID or your password. Verizon Media team can view the documentary here. Watch the film, give it a like if you feel so inclined, and share your thoughts to: good@verizon.com
Staycation Road Trip: Phoenix
Andy headed to the desert to introduce us to the great city of Phoenix, AZ. He shared some of the outdoor activities available in the area, including a hike up to Hole in the Rock (which is exactly what it sounds like). We also got to hear new music from local band Kongos, one of the few alt rock groups made up of four brothers.
If you have any questions, email them to live@verizon.com.
Click here for a transcript of the webcast.
Get the latest information on our Coronavirus Resource Page (Inside Verizon, The Street).
Reminder, tune in to Up To Speed Live tomorrow at 12 PM ET/9 AM PT.
