Bell started to offer the service branded 5G+ after it deployed midband spectrum at 3.5 GHz
Canadian operator Bell announced the commercial availability of its “5G+” service in Manitoba, the carrier said in a release.
Bell started to offer the service branded 5G+ after it deployed midband spectrum at 3.5 GHz.
In Manitoba, Bell said that the new offering is already available in East St. Paul, Headingley, St. Andrews and Winnipeg. Bell 5G covers over 70% of Manitoba’s population, the telco said.
Bell began deploying 3.5 GHz wireless spectrum in the summer of 2022, introducing its “5G+” service to areas across Ontario, Atlantic Canada and Western Canada. With the expansion to Manitoba, Bell now offers 5G+ coverage to more than 40% of the Canadian population, including the availability of peak theoretical download speeds of 3 Gbps in select markets.
“With 5G+, we are paving the way for the future of connectivity, empowering businesses, enhancing consumer experiences and unlocking new possibilities. This milestone, coupled with our ongoing broadband investments in the region, represents our commitment to innovation and delivering world-class network and communication services to our valued customers in Manitoba,” said Paul Norris, VP of consumer sales and vice chair of Bell MTS and Western Canada.
The telco said that 5G customers with a compatible device and rate plan, and who are inside Manitoba’s 5G+ coverage areas, can immediately take advantage of Bell 5G+ speeds.
Bell announced the launch of its commercial 5G service in the country in June 2020. The carrier’s 5G service was initially available in Montréal, the Greater Toronto Area, Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver.
In 2020, Bell Canada selected Ericsson 5G Radio Access Network (RAN) technology to support its nationwide 5G mobile and fixed wireless access deployment. The carrier started the construction of its 5G network in 2021, using equipment from Finnish vendor Nokia.
Rival operator Rogers currently offers 5G services in 1,800 communities across Canada, providing coverage for 27 million people.
Rogers began its 5G rollout in January 2020 in downtown Vancouver, Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal. The telco launched 5G StandAlone services in March 2022.
Earlier this month, Rogers Communications and Shaw Communications announced the completion of their proposed merger after receiving final regulatory approval from the Canadian government.
As part of the commitments included in the conditions for the approval of the transaction, Rogers said it will invest at least CAD2.5 billion ($1.83 bn) to enhance its 5G network in Western Canada and CAD3 billion in additional network service expansion projects.