An illustration of the urban connectivity of a 5G-based wireless system. (Image: Supparsom, via Shutterstock)OPINION: Smart cities will soon take a major leap forward — thanks to a groundbreaking technology, 5G, or the 5th generation wireless network. 5G is anticipated to be 100 times faster than the current 4G network, which many of our devices utilize today, and 5G will dramatically reduce the time it takes to share information.
A digital illustration of a satellite dish transmission. (Photo: Hywards, Shutterstock)The most critical assets of California’s future economy will rely on wireless Internet technology—including renewable energy, smart agriculture, education, healthcare and advanced manufacturing. There also are important implications for public safety, where a dropped call to 911 could be the difference between life and death.
In 2015, California’s push to expand health care coverage continues at a rapid pace. Consider this statistic: 12 million of our residents are enrolled in Medi-Cal – nearly one in three Californians. This greater demand is creating new challenges for California’s hospitals, both inside and outside of their walls.
In what consumer advocates describe as a blow to the public, the state Public Utilities Commission has decided to not update California’s 28-year-old rules dealing with cell phone privacy. The commission said there are no existing privacy concerns related to cell phone use and that a review process of any possible existing privacy threats is unnecessary.