South Korea Rolls Out 5G Smartphone Networks
HOWELL: Well, at one point they were considered the world's wealthiest couple. But that's not the case anymore. Now, they are partners in the world's richest divorce.</s>ALLEN: Think you know who we're talking about. Three months after announcing their split, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos and wife, MacKenzie have revealed the terms of their separation MacKenzie Bezos will keep 25 percent of their stock in the company. That's worth a whopping $35 billion. She says she'll give her husband voting control over her shares along with her interests in the Washington Post and space firm Blue Origin. Well, South Korea, says it is now leading in the global race for 5</s>G. HOWELL: That nation has become the first country to roll out the ultra-fast smartphone network worldwide, beating out both the United States and China. CNN's Paula Hancocks has this story from Seoul.</s>PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: You've been hearing about 5G for years. About how it's going to be more than 10 times faster than 4G. How you'll be able to download an HD movie in a matter of seconds? For South Korea, it's here. Samsung is launching its Galaxy S10 phone Friday, and it's the first handset here to be 5G compatible. A coup for the Korean tech company and also a useful litmus test for companies around the world to see how many consumers actually sign up. The largest telecom operator in South Korea S.K. Telecom launched its plan this week saying they're aiming for 1 million subscribers by the end of this year. 85 cities are covered so far with customers paying between $70 and $115 a month for the updated service. S.K. Telecom insists we should believe the hype.</s>PARK JIN-HYO, CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER, S.K. TELECOM: Speed that goes beyond our imagination. Latency that exceeds our expectations. I think 5G will provide experiences above and beyond.</s>HANCOCKS: S.K. Telecom and rival, K.T. are highlighting what 5G can mean to V.R. Virtual Reality and A.R., Augmented Reality. Sitting with your friends at a baseball match without actually going to the match, or even being in the same city as your friends. The smallest provider here, L.G. Uplus has 18,000 5G units across the country. They're the only ones using technology from Chinese telecom giant Huawei, who's currently locked in legal battles with the United States. The Trump administration has been pushing allies to remove Huawei technology from their networks, claiming the company is too close to the Chinese government. South Korea may be the first, but it's also somewhat of a guinea pig. Many countries around the world will be watching this rollout very carefully to see how many customers actually sign up. Paula Hancocks, CNN, Seoul.</s>HOWELL: If the United Kingdom leaves the E.U. next Friday without a Brexit deal in place, the financial consequences could be devastating. Not just for Europe, but around the world.</s>ALLEN: But, people from Paris to Hong Kong to right here in the United States, don't seem all that worried. Here's a sample.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, it seems to be very complex because even British people don't understand what's going on. So, how come could we understand what's going on if even British don't understand themselves?</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: May seem like a second referendum is on its way, but, no one is actually seeing it -- you know, on the -- on the media or within the elite. But it seems like it's the -- it's the logical thing to do at the moment.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I still love the U.K., I still want to go there, but I'm afraid they will have a lot of a barrier. Now, to go to the U.K., and if it's more difficult to do to go to the U.K., I think the tourists will go elsewhere.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: England has always represented the a sense of community, sense of integration that can -- I mean, just in England, in Europe, we can see that kind of integration and that kind of things I think.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There could be big loss.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A big loss for you. Yes.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They had the pound, so they never felt part of the European. So, for this reason, they always be something different. This is my -- what I think.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: But here and now, I wouldn't say the Brexit is really making much of a difference. You know, the firms are busy, financial services are still extremely active here. Albeit, furnaces are slightly less than performance wise. It's not as great as it was. But, here in our bricks, I wouldn't say is having too much we have to say.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don't intend to work there for now, but it doesn't really impact me that much on a personal level. It's just hearing from friends, are they might have some worries on their end.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, half the country wants to leave the E.U., the other half doesn't want to leave the E.U. That's their problem. You know, this country is enough for our own problems. We don't need, you know, to get involved in theirs. I mean what the people want, if its majority rules and they vote on it, that's it, and they did vote to leave.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It fix about an economy, fix their livelihood, fix their employment, everything. I think, it actually is a bad idea, personally, that you stay in the Union.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Long term. But I going to -- I going to respect the overall independence for a bit, but I honestly think that just stay.</s>HOWELL: Those are opinions from around the world. Thank you so much for being with us for NEWSROOM. I'm George Howell.</s>ALLEN: We're coming right back. I'm Natalie Allen, our top stories right after this.