The next generation of possible

Fifth generation, or 5G, is the most transformative technology offered since wireless services were introduced in 1985, connecting everything in our world: from people and machines, to businesses and cities.

The first generation of wireless networks brought analogue voice calls, then SMS came with 2G, web browsing with 3G, and high-speed data and video streaming with 4G. 5G opens a whole new world–moving beyond connecting people to connecting machines and providing mass connectivity through the Internet of Things (IoT).

What’s impossible today won’t be tomorrow, because the next generation of possible is here with 5G from Rogers on Canada’s most trusted network.*

*Based on total number of wireless subscribers.

Not just speed, 5G wireless technology will deliver always-on reliability and real-time connectivity. With ultra-low latency, the delay between sending a request and the network responding will theoretically drop to one millisecond. That’s 400 times faster than the blink of an eye. This allows connected devices to run a range of applications requiring quick responsiveness for innovations such as autonomous vehicles, telesurgery, smart buildings, smart cities, and more.

The Internet of Things, or IoT, refers to a system of connected devices and machines that can interact and exchange data over a network, and act on the information they get from each other, without requiring human action. An example would be vehicles equipped with sensors that provide real-time information for collision avoidance, traffic signal timings, and safety alerts.

As of December 2019, there were 33.2 million wireless subscriptions in Canada.* And that does not include connected things like smart cars or IoT devices. 5G technology significantly increases the capacity and speed of our network to meet this growing demand and the needs of our customers.

* CWTA statistics, not including additional subscriptions from Canadian wireless providers who do not publish subscriber data.

To bring 5G technology to Canadians, we’ve built upon our longstanding strategic partnership with Ericsson, the North American 5G partner of choice. We are upgrading our 4G network to make it 5G ready through densification and uplift investments. Our 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. As well, we are 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.

From towns to metropolitan centres, 5G brings the very best in wireless technology to Canadians and businesses. We’ve rolled out 5G in over 50 towns and cities with more locations on the way. See our 5G coverage map below.

Today, 5G data speeds are comparable to our fastest 4G speeds. And they are getting better as we build out our network. To experience 5G with Rogers today you’ll need a Rogers for Business wireless plan with unlimited data (from 10GB of max speed data, reduced speeds thereafter) and a 5G enabled device. Get 5G access at no extra cost until March 2021.

We are excited to bring customers a suite of 5G enabled device. Current LTE devices will continue to work as they do today on our 4G LTE network.

The security of our networks is very important to us, and we collaborate with government and industry partners to ensure our networks are safe and secure. We have a rigorous process in place when we look at any potential supplier as part of the ongoing work we do in this area.

To bring 5G technology to Canadians, we’ve built upon our longstanding strategic partnership with Ericsson, the North American 5G partner of choice. In addition, every device we sell meets all Government of Canada standards and is certified for use in Canada.

5G technology can theoretically deliver speeds of 1Gbps or greater, but real-world speeds are expected to be 300-600Mbps. Factors such as distance from the tower, capabilities of the connected device, or interference from trees and buildings influence the final speed customers will see.

Devices need to be equipped with 5G technology to connect to a 5G network, but that doesn’t mean you have to replace what you currently have. 4G networks will co-exist with 5G, which means that all the current 4G devices will continue to work. In fact, 4G continues to get better with 4X4 MIMO technology, which provides significant speed improvements and lower latency. IoT devices connected to 4G/LTE-M/NB-IoT will continue to operate on LTE.

4G/LTE will co-exist with 5G for the foreseeable future and we continue to make significant investments in 4G/LTE to bring higher speeds and greater reliability to our customers. 4G/LTE networks also use radio frequencies that can penetrate buildings to provide better in-building coverage.

It is difficult to predict all the exciting applications that 5G will enable at our customers’ branch locations, but a few trends are starting to emerge. We can expect that the adoption of video will increase significantly as branch locations take advantage of 5G’s higher bandwidth and lower latency. Branch employees will be able to leverage video to connect to both colleagues and customers for a real-time, face to face, experience using both mobile and room-based systems. In addition to video, branch offices will benefit from the deployment of mobile edge computing infrastructure that will put applications much closer to end users. Today, end users may be interacting with applications that are stored hundreds or even thousands of miles away. No matter how fast the network is, application response times will be inconsistent. 5G networks in combination with mobile edge computing increases application performance creating a better user experience.

As a leader in deploying advanced technology, Rogers is always interested in working with early innovators across industries. We will particularly be looking for customers who want to test the unique capabilities of 5G, such as low latency networking. Interested customers should reach out to their Rogers representative for more details.