OTTAWA – Rogers flicked the switch on its new Long Term Evolution (LTE) network in the nation’s capital Thursday, and confirmed that it is on track to roll out in Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal this fall.
LTE delivers higher speeds and lower latency than 4G HSPA+ which means a better experience for customers using highly interactive applications like multi-player gaming and rich multi-media communications. It also delivers more usage capacity which means more users can access the network at top speeds simultaneously.
Rogers’ LTE network coverage is available immediately in the area from Arnprior, ON in the west to Orléans in the east, and includes the Hull and Gatineau regions of Quebec. It will expand to a further 21 markets across Canada by the end of 2012.
"This network will power the next generation of innovative products and services in ways we’ve never seen before”, said Rob Bruce, president of communications, at the launch event in Ottawa. “And it will be the backbone of Canada’s digital economy as we continue to move from a wired to a wireless world. We’re thrilled to welcome Ottawa – and Canada – to the future of fast."
Bruce said that customers can connect to LTE using a Rocket Stick manufactured by Vancouver-based Sierra Wireless, and confirmed that Rogers is working with Samsung and HTC to launch LTE-enabled smart phones later this year.
At launch, the Rocket Stick will be capable of maximum theoretical download speeds of up to 75 Mbps on the network, though typical download speeds can range from 12 Mbps to 25 Mbps, according to Rogers’ news release. As device selection evolves, maximum theoretical download speeds will increase to up to 150 Mbps.
