The arrival of 5G in Canada brought about various exciting benefits. Many of us are eager to access unlimited data without hassles. It is no longer news that 5G works faster in terms of overall performance and downloads. The new 5G also works with lower latency. This article exposes what you should know about 5G availability in Canada.
The wireless technology keeps having tremendous advances, much more with the introduction of 5G wireless communications. The state of 5G in Canada is quite different from what is seen across other countries like the United States, as they use channels of installed 5g. As such, there was no auctioning of any millimeter-wave. However, there are already tremendous changes with the availability of the 5G network.
5G Network and how it Works?
The fifth generation of wireless communication is the latest standard globally. It comes designed with excellent features that connect everything and everyone. This newest introduction addresses connectivity, bandwidth, and latency to help deliver a better performance.
Devices can now communicate better with the introduction of 5g, and information can get across the network within a shorter time. If you keep reflecting on the performance of 4g, you will find that the latency was roughly around 50 milliseconds. When working with 5g, the time is reduced as it gets to one millisecond.
The 5G network communication comes with some more bandwidth that ensures that all downloading gets done faster with higher speeds. The flexible network creates an interface that works with existing wireless technology and other evolved technology to come.
The Presence of 5G in Canada
Since the inception of 5G networks in 2019, there has been a tremendous change and smartphone manufacturers producing and commercializing their newly introduced 5G smartphones. There is a rapid increase in the accessibility of 5G, as they are currently deployed in over 60 countries.
Various consumers are excited, and the adoption of 5G is relatively faster than 4G. There is no doubt that the extensive IoT and improved mobile broadband are worthwhile. There is a core difference between 4G and 5g, as users can now access unlimited data plans on your 5G channels. The unified air interface is more capable and comes with an excellent design for extra connectivity.
With 5G in Canada, the new deployment models get empowered, and new services get delivered. That delay resulting from various devices accessing data simultaneously and everyone trying to communicate would be wiped out.
How is this helpful?
Let’s assume there is a national holiday or celebration in Canada. Everyone wants to call, send pictures, and have some facetime with their family and friends. You can picture the activities that occur every Canada Day. Much data is required as these photos and videos start moving across, and many parties having some video calls.
With everyone trying so hard to connect simultaneously, the signal can get rough, and the network capacity reduces. But, 5G is a game-changer that works with higher speed and ensures that you communicate faster. So, what’s in for the 4G LTE users? Can one upgrade from 4G LTE to 5G in Canada?
If you question whether you can upgrade your 4G LTE to 5G or not, you should know that it is currently impossible. The supported Canadian 5G service networks currently give no room for an upgrade from 4G LTE. So, there is a need to purchase a 5G capable device or smartphone if you are keen on using 5G services.
5G Service Providers in Canada
With many Canadian carriers beginning to transition to 5G, Bell starts making waves as one of the fastest mobile networks. Although there are currently no 5G appropriate airwaves in Canada, many wireless carriers add another 4G-like channel called 5G. Except, of course, for those making use of 5G-supported smartphones, which are readily accessing better performance.
However, there are four major 5G service providers in Canada, and they include:
- Bell mobility
- Rogers Wireless
- Telus MobilityVideotron
In June 2020, Bell activated their 5G services alongside Telus. However, Rogers went live with New Radio (NR), the first 5G network, before Bell and Telus. Rogers kicked off this service in early 2020 in Vancouver, Montreal, Toronto, and Ottawa. Similarly, the 5G activation from Bell and Telus went off in Calgary, Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal, and Edmonton.
The simple path that Telus and Bell have chosen is quite profitable, as they dedicate 10MHz channel to 5G, out of band 66 and provides an added advantage for these carriers. On the other hand, Rogers makes use of 10/20MHz channels out of 600MHz and more, with the low frequencies covering the rural areas. In contrast, the higher ones take care of densely populated cities.
It would be a great outcome combining the frequencies from Rogers, as it reveals an excellent 5G power, but that seems impossible at the moment. All current smartphones have a chipset of the 5G modem and cannot make use of more than a single 5G band at the same time. We can, however, look forward to the introduction of the X60 modem from Qualcomm to be able to combine various 5G channels.
In late 2020, Videotron announced the 5G service and currently has limited coverage in Montreal. There are more chances for an increase in their services this year, but it is quite unsure if all customers within the nation can access the 5G network. Regarding charging an additional 5G access, there are no current plans, and the only means out is getting a new device.
That is only one side of the story, as 5G is currently unaccessible for customers or subscribers who use prepaid carriers, including Chatr and Mobile. Even though their data get provided at slow speeds, accessing 5G on these carriers is less likely available. For those who are using the services of SimplyConnect and Cityfone, you can still make use of the 4g-LTE data that comes with adequate performance.
However, we can still expect some changes from carriers like Virgin Mobile, Fido, and Koodo. There is a greater chance for them to introduce their 5G services. They currently share a similar 4G LTE network service as Rogers, Bell, and Telus. Xplornet, Eastlink, and other wireless internet services have proposed to create an expansion in their network capabilities by employing 5g. there is also an excellent opportunity for a 5G deployment launch from Shaw, Freedom Mobile, and SaskTel this year.
5G Smartphones Available in Canada
Whether you are a Telus or Bell subscriber, it would help you get 5G smartphones now and enjoy the tremendous benefits. However, only a few smartphones that allow the use of 5G are currently available in Canada. There is a rapid increase in the list, as the emergence of more smartphones that are 5g-capable are being introduced.
Samsung released their 5G galaxy devices in 2020, which is now the first among the list of 5G capable smartphones in the Canadian market. The consists of phones with excellent features such as:
- Samsung Galaxy S series
- Samsung Galaxy Note ( Note20 5G and Note20 Ultra 5G)
- Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2
- Samsung Galaxy Z Flip
The Galaxy Note20 and Galaxy S20 series work on the Bell, Rogers, and Telus 5G service networks. There are also lineups of Galaxy 5G from smaller carriers in Canada. It would interest you to know that they only connect to 4G LTE service networks for the time being.
Aside from Samsung, there are 5G compatible networks from LG, Apple iPhone, Google, and Motorola smartphones. The V60 Dual Screen 5G smartphone from LG was the second 5G consistent smartphone released in Canada but was later discontinued. The LG Velvel has high-end features and costs lesser than the V60 5G device.
In late 2020, Apple launched their line of 5G smartphones, and this partnership makes these iPhone devices the best seen. It turns out that the Google Pixel 5 comes compatible with 5G, alongside other premium features. The good news is that this device from Google is available at an affordable cost. Users can even get the cheaper Google Pixel 4a 5G device.
The introduction of the edge+ device from Motorola is one tremendous change, too, as it works with 5G alongside supported connectivity from Rogers, Bell, and Telus. This device’s excellent features are its compact size, fast CPU, large battery, and robust camera.
5G Towers in Canada – Is it Dangerous?
There’s a lot of misinformation about 5G Towers in Canada and their impact on health. The major concern lies with the impact of Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity (EHS) on humans. 5G fears have led to vandalism of 5g towers around the world.
However, a lot of these fears have been debunked. Moreover, the Canadian Government is dedicated to ensuring that 5G devices meet the Canadian radiofrequency exposure requirements before being commercially available. You can learn more here.
Final Thoughts
5G holds significant momentum and keeps spreading across various regions. After its launch in 2019, many consumers are eager and excited to access the network and enjoy the various benefits.
The introduction of 5G in Canada is bound to fuel innovation and further strengthen its economy. Its impact would be more significant, as seen with the recent trends. There is a rapid expansion of the 5G network within the country.
There are currently four carriers in Canada that offer 5G network services – Bell Mobility, Rogers wireless, Telus Mobility, and Videotron. If you are keen on accessing faster communication, low latency, and high internet speed, this piece is for you. It holds some things you should know about the availability of 5G in Canada.
