Rogers will build a 5G Hub on the University of British Columbia (UBC) campus to boost 5G innovation in Canada.
Rogers said it will deploy 5G-ready network equipment and infrastructure at UBC starting in early 2019. The 3-year partnership with UBC will study 5G applications such as monitoring cars and traffic to develop smarter and safer cities.

Other research interests include autonomous vehicles, machine learning, artificial intelligence and network slicing technology for use in robotics, farming and medical applications. The partnership will develop skills in computer science, applied mathematics, machine learning and software development.

“Our partnership with UBC will ensure we bring our country and Canadians the very best 5G has to offer,” Joe Natale, president and CEO, Rogers Communications, said.

5G can connect 500 times the number of devices versus 4G, estimating one million connected devices for every square city kilometer.

Rogers earlier announced its 5G infrastructure deal with Ericsson to boost and densify its fibre-powered network with 5G-ready technology.

Earlier this year, Rogers completed live 5G testing at Rogers Centre and is currently testing 5G global standards. Rogers is also upgrading its 4.5G network with the latest 5G-ready technology for launching 5G in 2020.