5G, the new global wireless standard following the rollouts of 1G through 4G, has been highly sought after and anticipated the world over; tech enthusiasts everywhere have been following the impending rollout of 5G in their respective countries, with some countries farther ahead in the process compared with others.
What exactly makes 5G so special?
5G represents the most significant advance in recent years regarding the technological landscape of the Wireless Telecommunications industry in Canada. This is primarily because 5G is believed to be notably faster than 4G, with more capacity, a lower latency and a unified platform that is not only better than 4G, but also uses spectrum more efficiently compared with its predecessor.
Simply put, this translates to significantly faster download speeds and increased opportunities for connectivity across devices, especially in the up-and-coming realms of both virtual reality and artificial intelligence. On the consumer side, Canadians will likely be able to take advantage of faster access to cloud services, including gaming and real-time video translation.
The ongoing rollout of 5G in Canada
In 2021, and according to Alfabank-Adres estimates, there are 20 wireless telecommunications operators in Canada. If each operator intends to ensure their continued path forward in the industry, then every industry company will inevitably have to turn toward providing 5G.
At present, the industry’s three largest companies, Rogers Communications Inc., Bell Canada and TELUS Communications Inc., have all launched their 5G networks in Canada. However, this essentially means that the infrastructure is in place, as coverage has not yet come online. Together, these three companies control 83.6% of the market for wireless telecommunications services across Canada. Videotron, another industry-relevant company based in Quebec, is expected to roll out 5G coverage over the next two years.
Why is the process moving so slowly?
From the beginning, the process of rolling out 5G has been mired by a wealth of challenges; some are political in nature, as in the case of the Canadian government’s tensions with China, specifically with Chinese company Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd., but most challenges are technological in nature.
5G cell towers are currently incapable of transmitting to any type of device that is not in proximity to the tower in question, as a result of the signal characterizing 5G infrastructure. This necessitates a bit of a workaround, namely building new infrastructure capable of extending 5G reach to a broader area. However, this is a massive undertaking, and some concurrent city regulations have meant that not all cities in Canada or the neighbouring United States have been equally open to receiving the 5G rollout.
At the same time, the buzz surrounding 5G is forecast to increase as companies resolutely move forward with their plans. However long the 5G rollout takes, though, it will likely continue to revolutionize the telecommunications sector.
