Rogers Communications announced it invested $1.7 billion in Canada’s first-ever 5G auction to enable 5G deployment in urban, suburban and rural communities. This will bring the company’s planned total capital investment in infrastructure to $4.7 billion in 2019.
As Canada’s only national network operator, the company invested $1.71 per MHz/POP to acquire 52 of 64 of the 600 MHz spectrum licenses available to Rogers. This includes all available blocks in Southern and Northern Ontario, Northern Quebec, Atlantic Canada, Manitoba and all three territories. This spectrum will be combined with future 3500 MHz and millimetre wave spectrum to create a global best-in-class 5G network across Canada.
600 MHz carries wireless data across long distances and through dense urban buildings. This creates more consistent and higher quality coverage in both remote areas and smart cities. This coverage will benefit businesses across the country that rely on real-time data including farming, mining, manufacturing and transportation.
Rogers is partnering with Ericsson and upgrading its infrastructure to 5G ready technology. The company’s national network is now ready to support 5G applications and last month, it completed its first 5G data connection trial in downtown Toronto.
Through its partnership with the University of British Columbia, Rogers is building a real-world 5G hub that will be a testbed and blueprint for 5G innovation in Canada.
Joe Natale, President and CEO, Roger Communications
We are proud to make leading and meaningful investments to build the 5G ecosystem in Canada and to help drive our country’s global competitive advantage. This 5G spectrum is a precious and scarce resource that will benefit Canadians and Canadian businesses across the country.
