There is no team prouder than ours.
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On today's Up To Speed, reactions to the new 5G documentary 'Speed of Thought' and where we go next.

 

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By: Katie Regner

Hurricane Sally update

Jeff Plowman, Director of Network Assurance for Global Network & Technology, provided an update on our preparations for Hurricane Sally, which is nearing the U.S. Gulf Coast. He pointed out one silver lining of the multiple storms hitting the area: We’ll be able to use many of the same mobile emergency assets that had been brought to the Gulf Coast for Hurricane Laura.

We recently announced that we’ll be providing unlimited calling, texting and data for customers in affected areas of Alabama, Florida, Louisiana and Mississippi. Full details here.

 

Verizon Response Team

Speaking of weather-related emergencies, Wendy Taccetta, who leads Business Commercial Operations for the Verizon Business Group, shared how the Verizon Response Team (VRT) answers calls from a range of large enterprises, government agencies and first responders, including The Red Cross, state governors and CAL FIRE (the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection).

Wendy pointed out that our Public Sector sales team spends years creating the relationships that lead to those organizations calling us first. The VRT then disperses equipment wherever it’s needed across the country. Thank you to our Network, Sales and Response teams for all you do to prepare and respond.

By the way, this is a perfect time to make a donation to VtoV, our employee relief fund that is there for employees when they’re displaced from their homes as a result of natural disasters, fire or domestic violence. Give today to be there for your teammates in their time of need.

Speed of Thought

Last week, we encouraged you to check out the exciting new documentary on 5G “Speed of Thought.” Today, Katie hosted a discussion of the film with special guests:

Andrew McKechnie, Executive Producer of the documentary and Chief Creative Officer

Des Jackbir, Director of Network Field Engineering for Global Network & Technology

Elise Neel, VP of New Business Incubation

Glenn Cantave, Founder & CEO of Movers & Shakers

Sanyogita Shamsunder, VP of Technology Development & Planning

Andrew described how the film, which has been in the making for over two years, has been a passion project for many of the key players.

Des described the coming impact that today’s innovations will bring in areas like public safety, where the technology will help reduce the number of traffic accidents. “I don’t know that there is a more proud department than ours,” said Des. “Thirty years of investment that makes our network what it is today.”

Elise shared an example of New Business Incubation related to location technology. The team is working on transforming our current 2D world to 3D and even 4D to help humans and machines work together more efficiently. Those machines include our Skyward drones. We are working towards our goal of 1 million connected drone flights, leveraging the data from those flights to help us prepare for future drone package delivery.

Glenn shared how Movers & Shakers, the New York City-based non-profit, uses augmented reality and other technologies to highlight underrepresented narratives. He talked about how, growing up, he didn’t see brown and black skin discussed in history classes. Today, Movers & Shakers uses 5G to make more immersive and dynamic content possible to excite kids as they use their phones and tablets to learn about the stories he didn’t hear as a child.

Sanyogita shared the work her team is doing that can be utilized by a wide range of people and organizations. This includes our 5G Super Bowl event that showcased AR content and this year’s Indy 500, where we used our 5G network to connect high-speed cameras.

If you haven’t already, watch “Speed of Thought,” available on our Inside Verizon App. Download the app on your work or personal devices from the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store. Beginning tomorrow, September 16, the film will also be available on Amazon Prime Video, Peacock and Fios on Demand.

Count Us In

This afternoon, Diana Alvear hosted a Yahoo News panel called Count Us In. The lively panel discussion featured Latinx thought leaders and newsmakers discussing the crucial importance of filling out the U.S. Census questionnaire and voting in the upcoming election.

#Next20 Born Digital

On Thursday, September 17, you can watch the premiere of the next episode of #Next20 on our Twitter page. #Next20 is our series about the issues and conversations that will define the next 20 years. In Thursday’s episode, Brittany Jones-Cooper, host and producer at BUILD Series, moderates a two-part panel on how Gen Z is rocking the status quo in these uncertain times and what this generation expects from brands, educators and employers to build a stronger and more equitable society.


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