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Rogers Expands 5G Network in the West and Ontario and Powers Canada’s First 5G Drone Flight

Apr 15, 2021

Canada’s largest and most reliable 5G network reaches even more cities and towns across Manitoba and Ontario¹

In collaboration with InDro Robotics and University of British Columbia, Rogers for Business continues on its 5G innovation path marking the first drone flight on 5G in the country

TORONTO, April 15, 2021 — Rogers Communications today announced it is expanding Canada’s largest and most reliable 5G network to now reach residents and businesses in Selkirk and Steinbach, Manitoba and St. Catharines, Ontario. Rogers 5G, powered exclusively by Ericsson, reaches 173 cities and towns nationwide offering 5G access to nearly half of Canada. As Rogers launches 5G across the country, it continues to prove the strength of its wireless and broadband networks, based on the latest network benchmarking report released today by Ookla®.   

Also announced today, Rogers for Business worked with InDro Robotics and the University of British Columbia’s MéridaLabs to complete Canada’s first remotely piloted aircraft system (RPAS) flight over a 5G network at the UBC campus in Vancouver, BC. 5G will enable the ability to fly drones on autonomous missions from remote command centres connected over a 5G network. The 5G infrastructure Rogers has installed at UBC is enabling researchers and partners to explore future innovations, including parcel tracking, scheduling, and delivery by drone. 5G drones are expected to provide untapped services for a number of industries including agriculture, natural resources, infrastructure and utilities, construction, first responders and more².

Today’s announcement with InDro Robotics and UBC is supported by Rogers multiyear partnership with the university to research, incubate and commercialize 5G applications in Canada. Rogers continues to make network and innovation investments throughout Western Canada. As part of the company’s future plans, Rogers will continue to invest in the West through the agreement to combine Rogers Communications with Shaw Communications, enabling the combined company to build critically needed 5G networks, bridge the digital divide, and connect underserved rural and Indigenous communities. 

Quotes:

“We’re focused on bringing 5G connectivity to even more Canadian residents and businesses to help drive economic prosperity in our communities,” said Jorge Fernandes, Chief Technology Officer at Rogers Communications. “As we continue investing in our award-winning networks and Canada’s 5G ecosystem, we’ll begin to see more 5G use-cases come to life that will play a critical role in transforming and evolving entire industries across the country.”

“Over the last 12 months, wireless connectivity has become an even bigger part of critical infrastructure – helping our residents work, study and socialize online at unprecedented levels. Investments into more robust technology like this are critical for individuals and businesses alike, and we’re pleased to see St. Catharines included in Rogers’ map of 5G communities.” – Mayor Walter Sendzik, City of St. Catharines

“By being a regional hub, tourist destination and gateway to the lakes, people and businesses in Selkirk need top notch mobile service that matches the other top notch services our city provides. The 5G network is an enhancement that will help support long-term success for a strong and stable local economy. We are excited to be a part of this expansion that brings faster download speeds, more capacity and lower latency.” – Mayor Larry Johannson, City of Selkirk 

“Access to 5G for drones is the step we needed to unleash the potential for drones to become far more productive,” said Philip Reece, President and CEO of InDro Robotics. “The amount of data that can be exchanged at near zero latency means we can now separate the pilot and crew from being on scene with the drone, engineers can carry out critical infrastructure inspection from their office increasing speed of response and safety. First responders will be able to gain great situational awareness before they arrive at an accident and share valuable information back to incident command live from the scene.”

“This RPAS research is just one example of how 5G opens up new applications with significant societal benefit. 5G drones can be routinely used in the near future to monitor wildfires or assist in medical supplies delivery. They can be enlisted to provide security services and deployed during times of crisis and natural disasters. 5G enables us to explore many of the challenges and opportunities that will emerge as transportation and civil infrastructures become smart and interconnected.” – Walter Mérida, UBC professor in the faculty of applied science and lead, MéridaLabs

Quick Facts:

About 5G

  • 5G will support a massive increase in the number of connected devices that require real time connectivity for applications like earthquake prevention using AI and machine learning, autonomous mining and smart city applications such as mass drone delivery services.
  • Wireless industry investments in 5G networks are expected to contribute an estimated $40 billion annually to the country’s economy and 250,000 permanent new jobs by 2026.³

Rogers Award-Winning Network

  • Announced today, for the third quarter in a row, Rogers ranked Canada’s most consistent national wireless network and broadband provider by Ookla® with fastest Internet speeds in Ontario and New Brunswick.⁴  
  • Rogers was awarded the best wireless network in Canada for the second year in a row in 2020 by umlaut. 
  • Rogers was ranked number one in the West and Ontario in the J.D. Power 2020 Canada Wireless Network Quality Study. 
  • Rogers has invested over $30 billion over the past 35 years to build Canada’s most trusted and reliable wireless network.

About Rogers
Rogers is a proud Canadian company dedicated to making more possible for Canadians each and every day. Our founder, Ted Rogers, purchased his first radio station, CHFI, in 1960. We have grown to become a leading technology and media company that strives to 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). If you want to find out more about us, visit about.rogers.com.

For more information
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1 Rogers was ranked first in the umlaut Mobile Data Performance audit in major Canadian cities in Q4, 2020. Visit 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 https://ospe.on.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Growing-the-Drone-Industry-in-Ontario.pdf
3 https://www.accenture.com/_acnmedia/PDF-112/Accenture-Accelerating-5G-in-Canada-PoV-2019.pdf#zoom=50  
4 Ookla® Speedtest Intelligence® data for Q1 2021 https://www.speedtest.net/global-index/canada?fixed#market-analysis