Building on the company’s January roll-out of 5G in downtown Vancouver, Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal, Canada's Rogers Communications on Sept. 1 announced it has expanded 5G coverage on its network to over 50 new towns and cities and will reach a total of more than 60 markets by the end of this year.
Rogers partnered with Ericsson in 2018 as its 5G vendor for its full network infrastructure, including core and radio access network capabilities. The company’s 5G ecosystem also includes strategic partnerships to research, incubate and commercialize made-in-Canada 5G technology and applications with the University of British Columbia, the University of Waterloo, Communitech, Ryerson University Rogers Cybersecure Catalyst and ENCQOR. Internationally, Rogers is a founding member of the 5G Future Forum, which is creating a common framework for 5G applications enabled by mobile edge computing across the Americas, Asia-Pacific and Europe.
Rogers says it is currently using 2.5 GHz, AWS and 600 MHz spectrum to provide 5G coverage. The company has also deployed Dynamic Spectrum Sharing (DSS) technology in a number of new markets. This enables spectrum to be used for 4G and 5G simultaneously on its 600 MHz and AWS spectrum bands. The company has also deployed DSS in existing markets and will add additional frequency bands over time. In 2019, Rogers invested $1.7 billion to acquire a leadership position on 600 MHz spectrum licenses. This premium low-band spectrum carries wireless data across long distances and through dense buildings, creating more consistent and higher quality coverage in both rural areas and cities.
From small towns to metropolitan centers, the Rogers 5G wireless network is now billed as the largest in Canada, reaching across provinces and regions to the following municipalities:
Abbotsford-Mission, BC
Aurora, ON
Barrie, ON
Brampton, ON
Burnaby, BC
Caledon, ON
Calgary, AB
Cambridge, ON
Chilliwack, BC
Coquitlam, BC
Courtenay, BC
Delta, BC
Edmonton, AB
Fort McMurray, AB
Gatineau, QC
Grande Prairie, AB
Halton Hills, ON
Hamilton, ON
Kamloops, BC
Kelowna, BC
Kitchener, ON
Langley, BC
Lethbridge, AB
Maple Ridge, BC
Markham, ON
Milton, ON
Mississauga, ON
Montreal, QC
Nanaimo, BC
New Westminster, BC
Newmarket, ON
North Vancouver, BC
Oliver, BC
Oshawa, ON
Osoyoos, BC
Ottawa, ON
Penticton, BC
Pitt Meadows, BC
Port Coquitlam, BC
Port Moody, BC
Quebec City, QC
Regina, SK
Richmond Hill, ON
Richmond, BC
Salmon Arm, BC
Saskatoon, SK
Surrey, BC
Toronto, ON
Trois-Rivières, QC
Uxbridge, ON
Vancouver, BC
Vaughan, ON
Vernon, BC
Victoria, BC
West Vancouver, BC
Waterloo, ON
Whitchurch-Stouffville, ON
White Rock, BC
“Today’s announcement is an important milestone in our multi-year journey to bring the best of 5G to Canadians,” said Jorge Fernandes, Chief Technology and Information Officer, Rogers. “As we continue to roll out the next generation of wireless technology to additional Canadian markets, we are focused on building our robust 5G ecosystem with strategic investments, world-class partners and cutting-edge technology that will bring the best of connectivity to Canadian consumers and businesses.”
Rogers 5G is currently accessible to customers on Rogers' "Infinite" plans and unlimited business wireless plans with select 5G-ready devices. More than two million Canadians are now on Rogers Infinite unlimited data plans, representing the most customers of any wireless provider in Canada with no overage fees, the operator claims. Customers can purchase new devices at $0 and 0% interest with device financing.
“5G is the next big leap forward that will change how we live and work. Our award-winning network is Canada’s most reliable and most trusted and we are proud to be extending the country’s first and now largest 5G network to over 60 towns and cities by the end of the year,” commented Joe Natale, president and CEO, Rogers Communications. “Strong digital infrastructure and investments in 5G are critical to fuel productivity and innovation across this country now, as we power out of COVID-19, and in the future as we reset the competitive landscape for Canada, globally.”
Learn more at https://about.rogers.com/.