Bell Canada chooses Ericsson for its 5G ambitions, China’s new digital currency makes a ton of noise, and the former CEO of Reddit slams the social media platform for amplifying hate, racism, and violence.
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Bell Canada is entering into a 5G supplier agreement with Ericsson, a Swedish telecommunication equipment manufacturer. The Ericsson equipment will be used in Bell’s Radio Access Network (RAN), the portion of the network that connects users to the network, as well as Bell’s 5G-enhanced wireless home internet to rural areas. This means both Nokia and Ericsson equipment are now in in Bell’s 5G network. Ericsson currently holds 93 commercial 5G agreements with various telecommunication providers, including Rogers’ 5G network that rolled out in January.
The Chinese government has begun a pilot program for an official digital version of its currency, and according to Bloomberg, with the likelihood of a bigger test at the Beijing Winter Olympics in 2022. Some observers think the virtual yuan could strengthen the government’s power over the country’s financial system, and even push the needle forward around digital currencies in general. The planning, according to the publication, started in April, and China’s digital cash is designed to be an electronic version of a banknote, or a coin: it just lives in a digital wallet on a smartphone. Bloomberg says its value would be backed by the state.
And lastly, the former CEO of Reddit didn’t mince words while calling out the social media giant. “I am obligated to call you out,” Ellen Pao tweeted Monday, adding that Reddit should have shut down pro-Trump subreddit The_Donald, which rose to notoriety during the 2016 U.S. presidential elections by posting conspiracy theories and racist content. Pao’s Tweet’s come after Reddit CEO Steve Huffman posted an open letter to employees, saying that the company does “not tolerate hate, racism and violence,” and that its “values are clear.”
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