*By Conor White* The race to build vast 5G networks may bring the promise of faster internet speeds and greater connectivity, but it's also sparked some controversy. One source of complaint: those who shout "NIMBY", or Not in My Backyardーresidents who fear that their towns and lives will be disrupted as such vast infrastructures get built. Melissa Arnoldi, president of technology and operations for AT&T, told Cheddar that those concerns can be assuaged. She pointed to an upcoming project in San Jose, Calif.ーwhere the company partnered with the city to ensure a smooth, safe transitionーas an example. "We \[said\], 'Look, we will make sure that the equipment we deploy meets their standards, we will make sure it's not obtrusive to the consumers, and that it's deployed in a very safe way.'" The San Jose agreement follows similar protests in the state. Residents of Piedmont, Calif., have been [fighting against] (https://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2018/01/25/consumerwatch-5g-cellphone-towers-signal-renewed-concerns-over-impacts-on-health/) new cell towers for months, citing health concerns. But locals aren't the only ones raising issue. Recent reports suggest that 5G could create a Wi-Fi gap, favoring those in urban cities over people who live in rural areas. [According to the FCC](https://www.axios.com/5g-digital-divide-19b70d34-4978-44df-a1cb-ae9222d113ef.html), 31 percent of rural Americans still don't have fixed broadband service, compared to just 2 percent of city residents, and some fear that divide could get worse with new technology. But AT&T said in a [press release](http://about.att.com/story/5g_to_launch_in_more_us_cities_in_2018.html) last week that a greater 5G presence will actually bridge that disparity. Expanding to cities like Charlotte and Raleigh, NC, and Oklahoma City by the end of 2018 is one way the company hopes to do that. The wireless giant's push for 5G only intensified after AT&T's acquisition of Time Warner, now known as WarnerMedia, in June. "One of the key case uses for 5G will be 4K and 8K," explained Arnoldi. "So when you think about transmitting, for example, we did a trial with the U.S. Open on 4K, where we could actually help them broadcast signalsーlive broadcastsーwithout any wires." John Stankey, CEO of WarnerMedia, has already promised the company will be aggressive in delivering new content to consumers, a necessary move in light of reports that rival Verizon is negotiating with Apple and Google to stream live TV. Verizon is also plotting its own 5G expansion around the country, signifying the rising tide of competition. Arnoldi said she's optimisticーand excitedーabout the company's future. "I think if you look at the content we have access to from a WarnerMedia perspective and the technology that AT&T Communications has, I think we're going to have a lot of exciting use cases in the future." For full interview, [click here] (https://cms.cheddar.com/videos/VmlkZW8tMjEwOTg=).

Share:
More In Technology
Bipartisan Bill Targets Social Media Misinformation, Addiction, and Mental Health Impacts
A bipartisan bill introduced by U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) aims to tackle the spread of misinformation on social media platforms, as well as the addictive nature of the sites and negative mental health impacts they have on users. The 'Nudge Act' would require studies to find and compile potential interventions that platforms could use to encourage people to think before they share a post, or log off after spending too much time on an app. The FTC would create rules based on these findings, and hold the platforms accountable. But will it work? Jesse Lehrich, co-founder of Accountable Tech, joins Closing Bell to discuss the bill, whether real results and regulations could come from it, and more.
Deepdub Raises $20 Million to Bring A.I.-Based Dubbing to Global Market
A.I.-based entertainment company, Deedub, recently raised $20 million in a Series A round, led by Insight Partners. Deepdub uses A.I. technology to automate the dubbing process for foreign-language movies or TV shows, while using actors' original voices. The company says it can take just two to three minutes of data from an actor's voice and transform the voice into a different language. The funding comes as foreign-language films and shows like Netflix's 'Squid Game' have recently become more popular with audiences in the U.S. and around the world. Oz Krakowski, Chief Revenue Officer at Deepdub, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
Energy Vault Begins Trading on the NYSE Following SPAC Merger
Energy Vault, the company developing sustainable, grid-scale energy storage solutions, is now trading on the New York Stock Exchange following the completion of its business combination with Novus Capital Corporation II. Energy Vault develops sustainable, grid-scale energy storage solutions designed to advance the transition to a carbon free, resilient power grid. Robert Piconi, co-founder and CEO of Energy Vault, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to disucss.
Gamified Relationship Wellness App for Couples Our.Love Launches on Valentine's Day
A new mobile app has launched just in time for Valentine's Day. Our.Love bills itself as an A.I.-powered, gamified, relationship wellness app for couples. The app is set in what the company calls the Coupleverse, a virtual world where each couple can build a virtual relationship home as they also build their real-world relationship. Founder and CEO Tal Zlotnitsky joined Cheddar to discuss how the app works. "The concept behind Our.Love is to give people the opportunity to understand where they stand in their relationship through very simple metrics that we provide within the app that will help them in real-time, see where they stand, see where their partner is, and be able to get closer together," he said.
Alo Yoga Enters the Metaverse
Alyson Wilson, VP of Brand Innovation at Alo Yoga, joins Cheddar News to discuss the yoga apparel company entering the metaverse and teaming up with Spring Studios for New York Fashion Week.
Load More