Rogers tested 5G network slicing technology in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver in partnership with Ericsson

Canadian telco Rogers Communications said it successfully tested 5G network slicing technology, stating that it was the first nationwide live test of this technology in Canada.

Rogers tested 5G network slicing technology in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver in partnership with Swedish vendor Ericsson on the company’s 5G Standalone (SA) network, which was launched in 2022.

“As the only carrier that owns a truly national radio access network, we have an unmatched advantage with network slicing to offer customers consistency and reliability for mission critical applications from coast to coast,” said Ron McKenzie, chief technology and information officer at Rogers. “Network slicing will advance services for public safety, residential and business sectors, further improving our daily lives by providing even more focused and reliable support for essential applications,” the executive added.

Rogers said it will use network slicing technology this year to offer a dedicated network slice for first responders to have priority on the network. The company will also use this technology to separate fixed and mobile traffic on its national 5G network and accelerate the expansion of 5G wireless home internet to more rural and remote communities across Canada, which will enable the telco to optimize and dedicate traffic flows to ensure a more reliable service for both residential and mobile users.

The provision of 5G network slicing technology is part of a multi-year partnership between Rogers and Ericsson.

Rogers also highlighted its 5G network currently covers overs 2,200 communities across Canada.

Rogers 5G SA core network had been built from the ground up based on cloud-native technologies, enabling more advanced wireless capabilities like ultra-low latency, network slicing and mobile edge computing, the carrier noted. The capabilities of the 5G SA network enable Rogers to deliver new services to customers such as dedicated private networks, public safety applications and access to edge compute for AR/VR consumer applications.

In November 2023, Rogers Communications secured nationwide 5G spectrum, acquiring 3.8 GHz spectrum in the country’s third 5G spectrum auction.

The telco acquired 40.5 megahertz of 3.8 GHz spectrum across 172 regions available under the spectrum auction. The acquired 3.8 GHz will complement the spectrum in the 3.5 GHz band that Rogers currently holds. This spectrum covers not only urban areas, but also includes rural and Indigenous communities across the country.