Meta says it needs better cellular networks to achieve its metaverse ambitions

Meta Platforms Inc (NASDAQ: FB), formerly Facebook, claims that it won’t be able to achieve its goal of creating the ultimate metaverse without drastic enhancements in the telecommunication networks of today. The metaverse is apparently the hottest new thing in the tech world right now. 

The metaverse is a seamless online world where you can play, shop, and work with your friends, family, and colleagues. 

Top management statements

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Meta’s Vice President of connectivity, Dan Rabinovitsj, told CNBC that cellular networks and home networks can’t handle the metaverse just yet. However, he claims that they’re working closely with others to come up with the next step when it comes to innovation. 

The VP of connectivity said:

If you really look at the pace of innovation in the telecom world, compared to other markets, it’s been harder to go faster in this space. One of the things that we’ve tried to change is that trajectory of innovation.

While there’s no such thing as a true metaverse just yet, there are a few early projects that help showcase what this space is all about. Meta’s virtual reality headsets, Oculus, are being considered a gateway to a few of these metaverse experiences. However, the experiences need higher download and upload speeds and low latency. 

The CEO’s thoughts

The company’s Chief Executive Officer and Founder, Mark Zuckerberg, said in a statement:

Creating a true sense of presence in virtual worlds delivered to smart glasses and VR headsets will require massive advances in connectivity.

The Meta CEO claims that this’ll need to be a way bigger step change than any of the others the world has seen before. He added that large-scale, immersive video streaming activities would take new kinds of networks. 

In response, David Christopher, AT&T’s Executive Vice President, spoke to CNBC, saying 5G is coming out faster than 4G was. The Executive VP added that there are huge investments across all operators. Mr. Christopher claimed that most networks already provide high capacity, consistent speeds and low latency.