Rogers and University of Waterloo Partner to Build Made-In-Canada 5G Technology
20 December 2019 - 9:00PM
Rogers Communications and the University of Waterloo today
announced a three-year, multi-million dollar partnership agreement
to advance 5G research in the Toronto-Waterloo tech corridor.
Together they will create the first 5G smart campus in central
Canada.
“We are incredibly proud to partner with the University of
Waterloo to bring the very best in 5G research and innovation to
Canada and Canadians,” said Joe Natale, President and Chief
Executive Officer, Rogers Communications. “5G is at our doorstep
and these investments are critical to developing the ideas and
solutions that will fuel industries and drive Canada’s digital
economy for decades to come.”
The partnership will focus on 5G research in the areas of
engineering, network design, applied mathematics and artificial
intelligence. Rogers and the University will also build a 5G
network on campus that will test network infrastructure,
frequencies and applications in a real world Canadian
environment. Establishing the first wave of research projects
and construction of the smart campus will begin in early
2020. As part of the partnership, Rogers is a founding
partner of the Gateway for Enterprises to Discover Innovation at
the University of Waterloo (GEDI), a central place for companies to
access the full potential of Waterloo’s research, talent and
entrepreneurial ecosystem.
“We are pleased to partner with Rogers and to further explore
this transformative technology," said Feridun Hamdullahpur,
President and Vice-Chancellor, University of Waterloo. “Combining
the experience of Rogers with the research and entrepreneurial
talent at the University of Waterloo will empower faculty and
students to make discoveries and build new companies that will help
us further contribute to the economies of our region and the
country as a whole.”
Rogers also announced it is the first wireless provider to work
with ENCQOR 5G, a $400-million partnership led by the governments
of Canada, Ontario and Quebec. ENCQOR has established the first
pre-commercial 5G telecommunications corridor in Canada and brings
together a vast network of companies, organizations and researchers
who want to innovate by using the full potential of 5G.
Through ENCQOR, Rogers will support small and medium-sized
enterprises as they work toward unlocking the technological promise
of 5G.
“5G technology will transform the way we live and work, helping
address issues we face every day like traffic congestion and access
to health services,” said Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation,
Science and Industry, Government of Canada. “Through the ENCQOR 5G
project, our government is partnering with Canadian innovators – in
universities and business – to position Canada as a world leader in
5G technology. The collaboration between Rogers and the University
of Waterloo will create made in Canada innovations using this
leading-edge technology.”
“Ontario is committed to creating the conditions companies need
to innovate and thrive,” said Vic Fedeli, Ontario Minister of
Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade. “Our government
supports the ENCQOR 5G project, which is helping Ontario companies
develop the technologies that will give them a competitive
advantage.”
These announcements are part of Rogers multi-year program to
bring 5G to Canadians through network investments and strategic
partnerships to research, incubate and commercialize made-in-Canada
5G technology. Recently, Rogers turned on North America’s first
5G-powered campus at the University of British Columbia to
facilitate academic research and testing. To foster
commercial 5G development in the Toronto Waterloo Region Corridor,
the company has officially opened Rogers Create: a 5G
Lab at Communitech, focused on accelerating and launching 5G
applications. Rogers has also partnered with Ericsson, the
North American 5G partner of choice, to boost and densify its
fibre-powered network with 5G-ready technology. As it prepares for
commercial deployment of 5G in 2020, Rogers continues to test 5G in
Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto and Vancouver, and upgrade its national
4.5G network with the latest 5G-ready technology.
The University of Waterloo partnership is part of the nearly $20
million national investment in R&D and strategic partnerships
at leading Canadian institutions including the University of
British Columbia, Ryerson University and Communitech.
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, 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
media@rci.rogers.com, 647-747-5118
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