Calgary,
24
June
2021
|
12:00
America/Denver

City of Calgary, the most connected Canadian municipality, enters master agreements with wireless service providers

The City of Calgary is pleased to be the most connected and 5G ready municipality in Canada. Finalizing Master Licence Agreements with two major wireless service providers this month, The City’s Wireless Infrastructure Development Program is driving economic development and innovation in Calgary.

A recent 5G and Connectivity report commissioned by Calgary Economic Development placed Calgary at the top of the list of Canadian municipalities in terms of preparedness for development of 5G and overall connectivity. This achievement is the result of years of collective work both across The Corporation and with wireless service providers, other levels of government and the community stakeholders. The City’s work on its Fibre Strategy, municipal Wi-Fi, and Internet Exchange laid a strong foundation for innovation. Now, through the Wireless Infrastructure Deployment Program, multiple stakeholders are collaborating on how to fairly allow access to City assets for wireless infrastructure buildout.

5G is the latest generation mobile network, aiming to deliver faster connections and greater capacity, and is a critical step for building connected, resilient and smart cities supporting the latest technologies. 5G has been described as ‘infrastructure for innovation’ upon which governments, academia, small- and medium-sized businesses and industry can enable a wide range of applications such as autonomous vehicles, remote care and smart metering.

5G is a major economic driver. WSPs like TELUS, Rogers and Shaw are investing millions of dollars to deploy 5G. Wireless industry investments in 5G networks are expected to contribute an estimated $40 billion to the Canadian economy and 250,000 permanent new jobs by 2026.* In Calgary alone, the industry is projected to support $87 million in annual savings for households with 5G-enabled smart grid technologies.**

“Since 2000, we have invested $51 billion in network infrastructure and operations to connect Albertans to our world-leading networks, including an additional $14.5 billion now through 2024,” said Raymond Saoumah, Vice President of Wireless Networks at TELUS. “We are committed to bringing the citizens of Calgary access to the latest 5G technology which will revitalize the city and promote economic development. Designing, building and operating world leading wireless networks requires determination, problem solving, teamwork and partnerships with our local governments and Indigenous communities. We are excited to partner with The City of Calgary to deliver upon our collective commitment to make Alberta more connected than ever.”

“We're proud to continue growing our 5G footprint, bringing world-class connectivity to fuel productivity and innovation as we deliver on our commitments in Alberta,” said Dean Prevost, President, Connected Home, Rogers Communications. “This agreement with The City of Calgary lays the foundation for deploying this next generation technology that will shape entire industries, support business growth, and drive our local economy for years to come.”

A strong local economy is vital to our city and to encourage innovation and new opportunities for investment and diversification.

“Our future largely depends on the adoption of technology. Calgary’s position as a leader among Canadian cities in 5G infrastructure is key to the strengthening of our innovation ecosystem and it is an important tool for us to attract and retain businesses in Calgary in an increasingly digital economy," said Patrick Mattern, Vice President of Business Development at Calgary Economic Development.

For two years, business units across The City have come together to streamline and update internal processes to deal with this generational upgrade in wireless network infrastructure. The Master Licence Agreements finalized between The City and two major wireless service providers formalizes new business-friendly processes and standards, which were developed in conjunction with the wireless service providers. It also sets out the framework for the efficient and timely attachment of wireless equipment onto City-owned and operated assets.

“The City of Calgary is committed to creating a vibrant technology ecosystem, ensuring access to City infrastructure for all wireless service providers,” said Bruce Cullen, Wireless Infrastructure Development Program Sponsor and director of Corporate Analytics & Innovation.

For more information, please visit Calgary.ca/wirelessinfrastructure.

* https://www.accenture.com/_acnmedia/PDF-112/Accenture-Accelerating-5G-in-Canada-PoV-

** https://financialpost.com/pmn/press-releases-pmn/globe-newswire-releases/canadas-first-and-largest-5g-network-expands-to-five-cities-and-towns-in-alberta