By Bill Roberts
WHILE MANY NORTH AMERICANS might think social media has a mostly negative effect on society, Jeanette Irekvist (above) vice-president and head of Ericsson Canada’s customer unit, is convincingly seeing the glass as more than half full.
Indeed, she and Ericsson believe 5G is here to unlock a world of possibilities to improve the human condition.
With Canada’s largest wireless companies having spent almost $9 billion last year on 5G spectrum, Irekvist tells us not only “why” 5G but also talks about how Ericsson has been a critical technology presence in Canada for nearly 70 years.
It’s an impressive account of research involvement with over 20 Canadian universities, $25 million in practical academic research, and at a clip of over 100 Canadian inventions a year to pad Ericsson’s impressive patent portfolio.
And it’s an equally skillful tour through Ericsson’s big-ticket partnerships with the likes of Rogers, Bell, Xplornet and Videotron.
Listen to Irekvist explain cutting-edge 5G improvements to the consumer experience, new rural and health benefits, exciting agricultural innovations, and the very latest Canadian research priorities.
Our Cartt.ca podcast also touches on controversies associated with 5G… technical, political, health, and security concerns, plus other challenges that confront what promises to be a $12.3 trillion business by 2035.
And while Irekvist might balk at exploring aspects of Ericsson’s internally investigated corruption scandals between 2011-2019, she is bracingly detailed on where Ericsson is headed on today’s goals for the company regarding sustainability and corporate responsibility… as in a net zero carbon footprint by 2040.
Irekvist also shares how the Russian invasion of Ukraine has impacted Ericsson.
Not to be missed is Irekvist’s candid assessment of living in Canada, and how our wild coyotes are emblematic of her family’s residential experience.
Listen now to Jeanette Irekvist, vice-president and head of Ericsson Canada, and take a stirring peak at tomorrow!
Bill Roberts is a contributing editor at Cartt.ca.
