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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.”