Rogers, Communitech Announce New 5G Innovation Lab in Waterloo

Rogers Communications has announced a three-year partnership with Communitech to open a new 5G innovation lab that will advance made-in-Canada 5G technology and commercialize 5G use cases.

As part of the partnership, the new lab, opening in September, will accelerate and launch smart city, IoT and enterprise 5G applications that will change the way we live and work.

“Canada needs a strong 5G ecosystem to thrive and grow in our increasingly connected world,” said Jorge Fernandes, Chief Technology Officer, Rogers Communications. “Our partnership with Communitech is part of our work to bring together experts from universities, businesses, start-ups and government so our country can lead in the digital economy. This new lab will help bridge the gap between concept and testing to commercialization and market launch for Canadian applications.”

Located in Waterloo, North America’s second largest technology cluster, Communitech is a public-private hub that supports over 1,400 companies, helping them grow in the digital economy.

“It’s phenomenal to have Rogers, a leading national brand, invest time and resources in building and bringing the future of technology to Canadians with the new lab,” said Iain Klugman, CEO, Communitech. “We’re excited to work with Rogers to bring this leading technology to Waterloo Region and beyond.”

Today’s announcement is part of Rogers multi-year program to bring 5G to Canadians and to drive Canada’s innovation agenda. The company is building key strategic partnerships to create a robust 5G ecosystem. Last year, Rogers announced a multi-year partnership with the University of British Columbia to build a real-world 5G hub on the university’s campus. The company also announced a national infrastructure agreement with Ericsson to boost and densify its fibre-powered network with 5G-ready technology.

Rogers is preparing for 5G commercial deployment in 2020 and just completed 5G test calls in Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto and Vancouver. The company continues to upgrade its national 4.5G network with the latest 5G ready technology.