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Rogers Achieves Canada’s First 5G Standalone Smartphone Certification

Oct 25, 2021 News Releases

Google Pixel 6 and Google Pixel 6 Pro are the first smartphone devices certified for use on Canada’s first and only national 5G standalone core network

Rogers completes national standalone 5G core rollout, powered exclusively by Ericsson

TORONTO, October 25, 2021 – Rogers Communications announced today it has achieved the first 5G standalone device certification in Canada and completed the rollout of Canada’s first national standalone 5G core – major technological milestones on the road to powering the possibilities of 5G across the country.

“Achieving Canada’s first 5G standalone device certification and completing our national 5G standalone core rollout underscore Rogers leading 5G network leadership and innovation,” said Luciano Ramos, Senior Vice President of Network Development and Core Engineering. “In order for 5G innovation to reach users, compatible smartphones are needed to connect to 5G standalone service and we’re proud of our whole team to have reached this milestone with Google and our long-time partner Ericsson, helping to bring the best of 5G to our customers.”

The Google Pixel 6 and the Google Pixel 6 Pro will be the first 5G standalone smartphone devices certified for use in Canada. Over the next few months, eligible customers will automatically connect to the 5G standalone network where it has been rolled out. Rogers has completed its 5G standalone core network deployment nationally and is deploying its 5G standalone service coverage in major markets, including Vancouver, Toronto, Ottawa and Montréal.

The completion of these critical milestones represents an important step forward in evolving 5G connectivity. Combined with network slicing and mobile edge computing, it will unlock the power of 5G standalone service, ultra-low latency data transmission and higher data rates. These capabilities will open a world of possibilities and next-generation innovations from truly autonomous vehicles to early enhanced earthquake warning systems and beyond.

“The transition to a 5G standalone network service unlocks key end-to-end network connectivity capabilities and is an important step in enabling new opportunities for industries, enterprises and consumers,” said Yasir Hussain, Chief Technology Officer, Ericsson Canada. “Rogers and Ericsson’s long-standing partnership continues to bring innovation to the growing needs of business and consumer demands, and we look forward to working with Rogers to bring more technological advancements to all Canadians.”

Rogers Award-Winning National Network

  • Rogers was awarded the best wireless network in Canada for the third year in a row by umlaut1.
  • The company has won five awards for its 5G network from Opensignal, ranking number one in Canada across five categories, including for 5G Reach, 5G Availability, 5G Voice App Experience, 5G Games Experience and tied first for 5G Upload Speed2.
  • For the fifth quarter in a row, Rogers was ranked Canada’s most consistent national wireless network and broadband provider by Ookla® and ranked first for 5G availability3.

Rogers is Leading the Way for 5G in Canada

  • Rogers has invested over $30 billion over the past 35 years to build Canada’s most reliable wireless network 1.
  • Recently, Rogers invested $3.3 billion in 3500 MHz band spectrum, covering 99.4% of the Canadian population, to enhance and accelerate the expansion of Rogers 5G. This investment in Canada’s future positions the company as the largest single investor in 5G spectrum in the country across rural, suburban and urban markets4.

About Rogers:
Rogers is a proud Canadian company dedicated to making more possible for Canadians each and every day. We have grown to become a leading technology and media company focused on building and expanding world-class networks to deliver the next generation of connectivity to consumers and businesses and to support Canada’s future. Our founder, Ted Rogers, purchased his first radio station, CHFI, in 1960. Today, we provide the very best in wireless, residential, sports, and media to Canadians and Canadian businesses. Our shares are publicly traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: RCI.A and RCI.B) and on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: RCI).

For more information
media@rci.rogers.com
1-844-226-1338

1 Rogers was ranked first in the umlaut Mobile Data Performance audit of Canada in Q2, 2021. Rogers achieved Best In Test in the umlaut Mobile Network Benchmark Canada for 2021. Visit https://www.umlaut.com/en/benchmarking/canada. Largest based on total square kilometers of Rogers 5G coverage compared to published coverage of other national networks.
2 Opensignal Awards – Canada: 5G Experience Report August 2021, based on independent analysis of mobile measurements recorded during the period April 1 – June 29, 2021 © 2021 Opensignal Limited.
3 Ookla® Speedtest Intelligence® data for Q3 2021 https://www.speedtest.net/global-index/canada?fixed#market-analysis
4 Rogers continues Canada’s 5G network leadership with leading investment in 3500 MHz 5G spectrum, reaching 99.4% of Canadians.