Completes multiple live tests of 5G at
Rogers Centre
Commits to 5G testing in multiple cities
with Ottawa next on the
list
TORONTO, April 16, 2018 /CNW/ - Canadians are one
step closer to 5G, the next evolution in wireless that will change
the way they connect to the world around them. Today, Rogers
announced a multi-year network plan that includes working with
Ericsson, a North American leader in 5G deployment.
"We are at the advent of the fifth generation of wireless
networks. Similar to how 4G powered the proliferation of the
smartphone and on demand economy, 5G will make the mass
communication of IoT a reality, changing how we live and work,"
said Jorge Fernandes, Chief
Technology Officer, Rogers Communications. "We're setting the table
to lead on 5G with the right infrastructure, spectrum, partners and
investments, so we're ready when the ecosystem is ready. Ericsson
has helped pioneer the 5G infrastructure across North America, so we couldn't think of a
better company to support the reliable and consistent network that
our customers will use today and in the future with the performance
and consistency they expect from us."
At Rogers Centre today, the companies demonstrated multiple live
5G examples as a part of Rogers 5G testing program. Participants
wore virtual reality (VR) glasses to toss a baseball back and
forth, virtually shopped in a retail store, and controlled robots
with real-time responsiveness. Rogers also demonstrated Quad-band
Licensed Assisted Access (LAA) on Gigabit LTE to show how LAA
provides high bandwidth, simultaneously across several devices.
Rogers Centre is an ideal real-world testing environment with
thousands of connected devices, dense concrete, and high peak data
usage.
"The future of our businesses, our industries and our daily
lives will be impacted by 5G, led by innovative service providers
like Rogers. Rogers is taking a significant leap forward today and
we are very excited about the opportunity to jointly develop
innovative services and new customer experiences," said Niklas
Heuveldop, Head of Market Area North America, Ericsson. "Ericsson
is working hard each day to make 5G a reality, here in Canada and around the world. We estimate that
there will be one billion 5G subscriptions worldwide by the end of
2023."
The first generation of wireless networks brought consumers
analogue voice calls, then SMS with 2G, web browsing with 3G, and
high-speed data and video streaming with 4G. 5G will open up a
whole new world, a world that moves beyond connecting people to
connecting machines and mass connectivity through the Internet of
Things (IoT). Not just about speed, fifth generation wireless
technology will deliver always-on reliability and real-time
connectivity. With ultra-low latency, the lag between sending a
request and the network responding will theoretically drop to one
millisecond, 400 times faster than the blink of an eye. This allows
for a massive increase in the number of connected devices and a
range of applications that require quick responsiveness, like
driverless cars, virtual reality and low-power IoT innovations for
smart cities.
Rogers network plan includes the continued rollout of its
Gigabit LTE network with technology and equipment that is based on
the latest global 3GPP standards, including 4x4 MIMO, four-carrier
aggregation and 256 QAM. The company will boost and densify its
network with small cells and macro sites across the country.
Working with Ericsson, Rogers will trial 5G in Toronto and Ottawa, in addition to select cities over the
next year.
About Rogers
Rogers is a leading diversified Canadian communications and media
company. We are Canada's largest provider of
wireless voice and data communications services and one
of Canada's leading providers of cable television,
high-speed Internet and telephony services to consumers and
businesses. Through Rogers Media we are engaged in radio and
television broadcasting, televised and online shopping, magazines
and trade publications, and sports entertainment. Our shares are
publicly traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: RCI.A and
RCI.B) and on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: RCI).
SOURCE Rogers Communications Canada Inc. - English