Tag: spectrum

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Mobile Syrup

Bell announces ‘5G+’ deployment starting in Toronto

Bell announced its new ‘5G+’ network will soon arrive for Bell 5G customers starting in Toronto.

The Montreal-based national telecom detailed the news in a press release, saying it would work towards covering roughly 40 percent of the Canadian population with 5G+ by the end of 2022.

Bell’s release indicates 5G+ will run on 3500MHz spectrum and the carrier said it would offer “peak theoretical download speeds of up to 3Gbps in select areas.” Moreover, Bell said customers with ‘Ultimate 45’ or ‘Ultimate 50’ plans, and compatible devices, would be the first to access 5G+. These plans cost $85/mo and $95/mo respectively.

“Today’s announcement reinforces Bell’s commitment to provide the best networks to Canadian consumers and businesses so they can do more of what they love,” said Stephen Howe, Bell’s chief technology and information officer, in the release.

“I’m thrilled that 5G+ is here and with this release, we’ll take the country’s top-ranked 5G service to new heights with faster mobile data speeds. It’s a significant milestone in the evolution of next generation communications in Canada, and we’re proud to lead the way.”

Bell’s announcement comes on the heels of Rogers deploying 5G using 3500MHz spectrum in Nanaimo, B.C.

The federal government auctioned off 3500MHz spectrum licences in the summer of 2021 — the auction results went live in July. That spectrum is considered crucial to delivering the promises of 5G.

Specifically, 3500MHz spectrum occupies part of ‘mid-band’ 5G, also called ‘Sub-6.’ Compared to the ‘low-band’ 5G available in Canada now, mid-band 5G like 3500MHz should offer substantial improvements to speed, latency, and network capacity.

There’s also ‘high-band’ 5G, called mmWave, that can offer even faster speeds than Sub-6 but has a significantly shorter range. In Canada, the focus is on mid-band 5G, which will have a broader impact in both urban and rural regions — mmWave’s range makes it better suited for urban areas.

With Canadian carriers starting to deploy 5G using 3500MHz spectrum, Canadians should start to feel more of the benefits of 5G.

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Mobile Syrup

Rogers announces 3500MHz 5G deployment in Nanaimo, B.C.

Rogers says it’s the first to deploy 5G using 3500MHz spectrum. According to a release from the company, the Nanaimo, B.C. is the first location to go live with the spectrum.

The carrier plans to continue deploying 3500MHz spectrum across Canada, including in urban centres like Calgary, Edmonton, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, and Vancouver. These regions will “follow as they are released according to the [Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED)] timetable.”

Rogers says that the 3500MHz spectrum will allow customers to “experience faster speeds, range and improved response and download times.” Specifically, the company mentioned applications like network slicing in healthcare, improvements for wireless cusomters, and benefits to wireless home internet thanks to the increased capacity provided by 3500MHz spectrum.

“As the country’s biggest investor in 5G spectrum and the first to launch 3500 MHz, we are excited to expand Canada’s largest and most reliable networki to more families, businesses and communities through the deployment of our 3500 MHz spectrum,” said Tony Staffieri, president and CEO of Rogers Communications, in a release.

The rollout of 3500MHz spectrum has been a long time coming. The federal government auctioned off the spectrum in June 2021 and ISED published the results the following month. 3500MHz was widely considered integral to making the promises of 5G a reality for Canadians.

In part, that’s because most 5G available in the country so far has utilized ‘low-band’ spectrum that wasn’t significantly different from 4G. 3500MHz spectrum exists within ‘mid-band’ 5G, also called “Sub-6.” Networks utilizing mid-band 5G have access to higher capacity and can offer faster speeds, reduced latency, and other benefits.

Hopefully this will kickstart the rollout of 3500MHz spectrum across Canada, which should bring more palpable benefits to those with 5G plans and 5G-capable devices. The next chunk of spectrum to look forward to will be 3800MHz, also part of the mid-band. We’ll be keeping an eye out for ‘high-band,’ also called mmWave, spectrum too.

Source: Rogers

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Mobile Syrup

Telus will invest billions in Alberta over the next four years

Vancouver-based telecom giant Telus says it will invest $17 billion in Alberta over the next four years.

The investment will cover network infrastructure, operations, and spectrum.

It will also lead to 8,500 new jobs in the province, focusing on construction, engineering, and emerging technologies. The investment will connect hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses with Telus’ PureFibre internet and deliver 5G to remote communities in the province.

“Importantly, through our investment, we are supporting the social and economic vibrancy of Albertans and ensuring that every member of our society has access to the technology that yields the opportunity to realize their full potential,” Darren Entwistle, Telus’ CEO, said.

The company will also invest $70 billion across Canada by 2026.

Source: Telus

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Mobile Syrup

Federal government drops surprise restrictions on 5G service near airports

Canadians living near airports may have a hard time getting 5G service thanks to a surprise announcement from the federal government.

The feds announced new restrictions on 5G service near most major airports over concerns of possible interference between the radio waves — called spectrum — used in 5G communications and certain aviation navigation tools. According to the Toronto Star, radio altimeters on aircraft operate on the 4,200 to 4,400 megahertz (MHz) frequency band, which is near the recently-auctioned 3,500MHz spectrum considered crucial to mid-band (or Sub-6) 5G.

Using Toronto’s Pearson Airport as an example, the restrictions banning 5G base stations cover a large area around the runways themselves. Moreover, restrictions covering two long stretches from Etobicoke to Brampton and from Downsview to Mississauga will limit power use, which can affect network performance. A map from the Star shows the restricted areas.

Restriction 5G areas around Pearson (Source: Toronto Star)

The Department of Innovation, Science and Economic Development (ISED) said on August 6th that it would hold a brief consultation before applying the restrictions around airports where planes are permitted to use automated landing.

The Star also detailed comments from carriers that are, unsurprisingly, upset about the restrictions. Telus was among the most vocal and claimed the restrictions reduced the $2 billion value of 3,500MHz spectrum it acquired at the recent auction by about $100 million. Telus also claims the government’s restrictions are more drastic than precautions taken in other countries.

For example, U.S. regulators determined a guard band of 220MHz would be “sufficient” to protect aviation industry needs. Further, Telus claims Australia and Japan implemented guard zones of 200MHz and 100MHz respectively. The Canadian government, however, proposed a buffer zone between 550MHz and 700MHz.

In an email statement to the Star, ISED says it issued a bulletin in March, well before the spectrum auction, committing to study the issue. The bulletin also warned that the government may develop rules for 5G operation in the new spectrum band.

Although the carriers may gripe about the limitations, Canadians living in regions covered by the new restrictions will also lose out, especially if they’ve already upgraded to a new 5G-capable device in anticipation of the 3,500MHz rollout.

Source: Toronto Star

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Mobile Syrup

Defining 5G: What all that weird jargon really means

Everyone seems to be talking about 5G, but I still see a lot of confusion about the technology and what it actually means.

Things aren’t helped by the fact that nearly every carrier is pushing the next-gen connectivity standard, despite 5G not existing in any meaningful way in Canada.

For example, if you buy a new smartphone, chances are it’ll have ‘5G’ in the name, or at least support the technology. Even lower-cost, budget phones like the Pixel 4a 5G sport the tech. It’s basically everywhere in Canada and, impressively, nowhere at the same time.

“Sub-6 is shorthand for sub 6GHz, or spectrum below 6,000MHz.”

The short and simple explanation for 5G is that the term stands for “5th-generation mobile network,” and represents a variety of technologies that enable faster wireless networks, increased bandwidth, lower latency, and more.

Ultimately, that’s really all most people need to know. As more 5G networks come online, people will start to see new technologies leveraging the improved networks. Existing technologies and network applications will also get better (i.e. faster downloads, more stable video streaming, etc.). But, for those interested in the types of 5G that are out there, read on.

Making sense of Sub-6 and mmWave

5G can be split into three main groups: low-, mid- and high-band 5G.

Low-band 5G generally refers to radio wave spectrum below one gigahertz (GHz) or 1,000 megahertz (MHz). In Canada, the vast majority of 5G networks currently available use low-band 5G.

Unfortunately, 3G and 4G networks also use low-band spectrum, which means that for most people, there isn’t a significant difference between using 4G or 5G at the moment. Moreover, there just isn’t a lot of spectrum available in this range, whether you’re running on 5G, 4G or 3G.

That’s where mid-band, or Sub-6 5G, comes in. Sub-6 is shorthand for sub 6GHz, or spectrum below 6,000MHz. This is an important area to watch for Canadians, as Sub-6 will be some of the first meaningful 5G we’ll get. The government recently auctioned off 3,500MHz spectrum, and when carriers start to implement networks using it, we should begin to see some actual benefits.

“Most places, including Canada, have focused on Sub-6 5G, but the U.S. started with mmWave.”

Sub-6 5G is a great middle-ground since it offers higher speeds and performance than low-band spectrum, but doesn’t suffer from the same range limitations of high-band 5G, also called mmWave.

mmWave covers spectrum in the 25-39GHz range, which offers much higher speeds up to the gigabit level. Unfortunately, these radio waves can’t travel further than a few hundred metres. They also struggle to pass through objects like trees or walls.

Although more limited, mmWave can offer significant boosts to speed in scenarios where range isn’t a huge factor. For example, urban areas allow carriers to build dense mmWave networks.

Most places, including Canada, have focused on Sub-6 5G, but the U.S. started with mmWave. That’s why you often see insanely fast mobile speeds in U.S. cities, but 5G coverage overall can be extremely spotty. However, that will change over time.

There’s been a lot of talk about the possibilities 5G brings, potential applications of the technology, and much, much more. Although many of the prospects are exciting, we’re still years away from having the 5G saturation needed to support those ideas.

In other words, there’s reason to be hyped about 5G in Canada, but for now, keep your expectations tempered.

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Mobile Syrup

Apple’s iPhone 13 series doesn’t support mmWave 5G in Canada

Like last year’s iPhone 12, Apple’s iPhone 13 series won’t support mmWave 5G in additional countries, including Canada.

mmWave 5G, which is only available in select urban areas of the United States and a few other countries worldwide, will continue to be exclusive to U.S. iPhone 13 models.

Apple’s cellular compatibility page states that only the U.S. iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 13, iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max versions will support mmWave 5G. Further, the mmWave antenna is only visible on devices featured on Apple’s U.S. website.

Several months ago, reliable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo indicated that iPhone 13 models sold in Canada, Japan, Australia and several European countries, would support mmWave 5G.

With that in mind, iPhone 13 series smartphones still includes support for the n78 5G band (TD 3500) like the iPhone 12 series, which will likely launch across Canada at some point in the next few years.

The Canadian government’s 3,500MHz 5G spectrum auction took place in late July, with major carriers, including Rogers, Bell, Telus, Vidéotron, Cogeco, Sasktel and more securing licenses. However, it’s unclear when carriers will start using this spectrum. 3,500MHz spectrum will make up part of what’s commonly called ‘Sub-6’ 5G, which isn’t as fast as mmWave but has a greater range. Further, no Canadian carriers offer mmWave 5G yet, so it’s not a huge loss that the iPhone 13 doesn’t support it here.

As such, it’s unlikely that Apple’s iPhone 13 series — just like every 5G smartphone currently available in Canada — will actually feature that significant a leap in data speeds. That should change once 3,500MHz starts rolling out to more locations.

The current 5G networks offered by Rogers, Bell and Telus still generally feature faster speeds than standard LTE but only expect a 10 to 15 percent increase depending on where you live.

It’s worth noting that Apple’s new iPhone 13 series does support more 5G bands than the iPhone 12 series.

Apple’s iPhone 13 series is set to release on September 24th, starting at $1,399 for the iPhone 13 Pro and $949 for the iPhone 13 mini.

Source: Apple Via: MacRumors