The fourth largest mobile operator in Canada, Freedom Mobile (owned by Shar Communications) has started enabling its recently-acquired Band 13 700 MHz spectrum in Calgary — improving network coverage and providing subscribers with enhanced indoor LTE coverage.
Shaw closed the acquisition of 700 MHz and 2500 MHz wireless spectrum licences from Quebecor Media Inc. in July 2017, enabling Freedom Mobile to progressively enhance its network in Southern Ontario, British Columbia and Alberta. The introduction of Extended Range LTE comes soon after Freedom Mobile’s rollout VoLTE. With Extended Range LTE and VoLTE, customers can expect to experience:
• Faster call setup, reducing the time it takes for a dialed call to connect and begin ringing,
• Simultaneous voice and data LTE, so customers can use high-speed LTE data while on a call,
• Seamless switching between Voice over Wi-Fi and Voice over LTE without dropping the call,
• Enhanced indoor network reception, • Expanded outdoor LTE coverage.
In addition, Freedom Mobile has launched Rich Communication Services (RCS), a protocol that allows Android customers to start group chats, see when someone is typing, and view read receipts by transmitting messages over a data connection.
Paul McAleese, President, Wireless, Shaw Communications
Freedom Mobile’s Extended Range LTE leverages Band 13 700 MHz spectrum to provide customers with farther-reaching coverage and stronger indoor wireless reception than anything we’ve been able to offer to date. The deployment of additional spectrum is our latest step in creating an improved wireless experience that includes seamless connectivity, the latest handsets, and the high-speed LTE data plans that our customers are looking for.
