Super-fast 5G wireless technology will bring sports and culture closer to people even as they are forced to stay home due to the coronavirus pandemic, Verizon CEO Hans Vestberg said Monday at the Consumer Electronics Show.

The rollout of 5G has been slower than expected and hasn’t always delivered the speeds promised. But Verizon is expanding its networks, and the capabilities will enable new applications for augmented reality, virtual reality and drone deliveries, Vestberg said in a virtual keynote address. The pandemic has created a new urgency for the speed that 5G technology delivers, he added.

“Our world has changed significantly since we last stood on the keynote stage at CES in 2019,” Vestberg said.

“There has been an extreme acceleration in the digital revolution, and at the heart of that transformation is 5G technology. The future of work, learning, telehealth, retail and streaming are our current reality. And we’re just getting started. 5G is not just a technological innovation; it’s the platform that enables other innovations.”