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Bell launches initial 5G network in Vancouver, four other cities

What happened: Telecom giant now offering 5G service in Vancouver Why it matters: Roll out comes after Bell, Telus announced plans to tap Ericsson and Nokia for 5G wireless technology Vancouver is among five select cities tapping into Bell Canada’s [
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Photo: Rob Kruyt, BIV

What happened: Telecom giant now offering 5G service in Vancouver

Why it matters: Roll out comes after Bell, Telus announced plans to tap Ericsson and Nokia for 5G wireless technology

Vancouver is among five select cities tapping into Bell Canada’s [BCE Inc. (TSX:BCE)] initial 5G network.

The Montreal-based telecom giant announced Thursday (June 11) the launch of the next-generation wireless network, which also went live in Calgary, Edmonton, Montreal and Toronto.

Rogers Communications Inc. (TSX:RCI.B) began to roll out its 5G network in downtown Vancouver in January.

Montreal, Ottawa and Toronto were also included in Rogers’ initial cohort.

Last fall Rogers and the University of B.C. unveiled what they described as the country’s first 5G-powered smart campus.

Meanwhile, Telus Corp. (TSX:T) chief financial officer Doug French told the Financial Post in February his company was planning to roll out its 5G network this year using 5G gear from China’s Huawei Technology Inc. Ltd.

Last week, however, Telus and Bell announced they were opting to go with European vendors Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (Nasdaq:ERIC) and Nokia Corp. (HEL:NOKIA) to build out their 5G networks.

Uncertainty over the future of 5G in Canada has centred on a precarious political situation in which Ottawa is being pressed by intelligence allies to ban Huawei’s 5G equipment over espionage concerns.

But Canada also faces pressure from Beijing following the arrest of Huawei chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou at Vancouver International Airport in December 2018 in connection with a U.S. extradition request.

Two Canadians living in China, Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, were detained soon after by Chinese authorities but no formal charges have been filed after more than 500 days.

“Just the sheer fact a choice has been made and that the Canadian 5G industry is moving out of indecision is great news,” Patrick Ostiguy, founder and executive chairman of Quebec-based network performance provider Accedian Networks Inc., told Business in Vancouver last week.

“Canada is already relatively behind other worldwide jurisdictions in regards to rolling out 5G radios. Having made those decisions now starts the clock to play catch-up with the rest of the world.”

With Bell’s 5G network now rolling out in Vancouver and four other cities, the company added it will expanding coverage to other regions throughout the country. 

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