The aim is to construct a corridor of 5G wireless test beds throughout the two most populated provinces in Canada.
The focus of the tests will be to bring technological innovation to Canadian businesses — by allowing established players and startups to experiment with new products and innovative ideas within geographic concentrations of interconnected businesses, suppliers, and associated institutions.
5th generation wireless systems (5G) refers to networks that begin to be launched during 2018. 5G systems offer performance as high as 20 gigabits per second, said to be up to ten times faster than current 4G networks. As well as promising faster download speeds, 5G is also expected to usher in lower latency (the time it takes for the item to actually start downloading).
The development is a further sign of Canada’s commitment to place itself as a leader in new technologies, particularly with the promotion of startups offering connected services. The U.S., South Korea, Japan and China are also racing to establish hub areas with 5G services. Those who establish first are most likely to be ahead of this next-generation series of technological developments.
Public-private partnership to power new network
The plans go under the heading of ‘Evolution of Networked Services through a Corridor in Quebec and Ontario for Research and Innovation’ — or ENCQOR for short. According to The Globe and Mail, these plans are based on a public-private partnership, with investment to the tune of 400 million. The two provincial governments will provide $67 million, with the remainder coming from five private-sector partners. These partners are: Ericsson, Ciena Canada, Thales Canada, IBM Canada and CGI. The partners will work with provincial coordinators Prompt, CEFRIO, and Ontario Centers of Excellence.
Over the course of five years, this money will go towards supporting 1,000 small and medium-sized enterprises connecting to an advanced 5G platform. Other parts of the funding will go towards providing support in terms of research and technology. In the creative technology space the ability to experiment is essential in order to spark innovation and to create new products and services.
5G could power smart cities and streets
Discussing the new plans, Innovation Minister Navdeep Bains told City News that the types of developments that companies could usher under the 5G arrangements cover the expanse from autonomous vehicles to smart cities, aimed at improving traffic control and reducing accidents; and to retail innovations, in terms of food deliveries and smart home technologies like refrigerators that assess food levels and order fresh groceries according to pre-programmed settings.
Bains is quoted as saying: “5G is the gateway to the future and we are just on the brink of this technological revolution.” He added further that the news will help to strengthen employment, with more than 4,000 jobs being created and of which 1,800 of which will be specialized in 5G systems.
