By Diana Goovaerts

Verizon tips tech to shake-up data use

Verizon SVP Enterprise Innovation and 5G solutions Toby Redshaw believes a cluster of new technologies will enable companies to move away from traditional advertising schemes and offer consumers more value for the data they provide.

Redshaw told Mobile World Live the combination of 5G, AI, big data, cloud computing and AR/VR will revolutionise a wide variety of verticals, including manufacturing, healthcare, education, construction and retail. Specifically, he said the technologies will help companies improve efficiency, lower costs and boost customer engagement.

He noted that such technologies can also make a consumer’s walk through life “instrumented and intelligent”, adding they “move us away from ads” toward proactive and predictive offers.

“You [as a consumer] truly have commercial value. Your commercial value should allow you to get offers and experiences that you personally value.”

However, the executive noted this potential was contingent on permissioned and proper use of data.

He said it was imperative that companies gain user consent for data collection, and that they then use that data to serve customers only in the ways that the customer has approved.

“Our entire brand promise is trust and innovation. The moment we violate that we’re done.”