CES 2021 announces keynote speaker for virtual show
CES 2021 is expected to significantly focus on the future of 5G, the network of the future, for mobile devices.
The organizer of CES, the Consumer Technology Association, said Verizon CEO Hans Vestberg will deliver the keynote speech to kick off the CES 2021 virtual show.
Vestberg’s keynote address will touch on fifth-generation technology, or 5G, for mobile networks, and why it will be a catalyst for future technology across other industries, in health care, education and more.
“Verizon’s keynote for CES will demonstrate the vital role that mobility, broadband and cloud — or the world’s 21st century infrastructure — has played in connecting the world this year and how the accelerated shift to 5G is transforming every industry,” Vestberg said in a statement.
5G technology is still in the works by most U.S. phone carriers. The technology promises faster internet speeds and a reduction in lag time.
“This time in history is redefining the meaning of connectivity for consumers, industries and society as a whole — imagination is our only threshold,” Vestberg said.
Other telecom giants, like AT&T and T-Mobile, are still building out their blazing fast 5G networks across the country.
Earlier this week, T-Mobile said it is continuing to build out its 5G presence in Las Vegas and nationwide.
A spokesperson for the company said this week that its T-Mobile Arena on the Strip “got a sweet upgrade,” and that it is able to provide 5G speed and coverage for visitors and venue operators “for years to come.”
For one week a year, tens of thousands of visitors flock to Las Vegas for the annual CES show, the go-to place for tech companies and startups to show off their newest gadgets and innovations.
But next year’s CES extravaganza won’t happen in Las Vegas.
The Consumer Technology Association said in July that it would cancel its CES 2021 in-person show in favor of moving it online. No additional programming has been announced.
Dozens of other trade associations have postponed or canceled shows or conventions in Las Vegas amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2019, CES had an economic impact of around $283 million based on 175,000 attendees, according to data from the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority.
Contact Jonathan Ng at jng@reviewjournal.com. Follow @ByJonathanNg on Twitter.