On June 11th, 2020 Bell Canada announced the launch of its commercial 5G mobile network, claiming initial coverage 'six times greater' than rival Rogers' existing 5G footprint. At launch, 5G from Bell is available in Montreal, the Greater Toronto Area, Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver, following a rollout with technology partners including Nokia and Ericsson, while the operator also claims to offer the 'broadest selection' of 5G-capable smartphones currently in Canada. Bell's 5G smartphone line-up includes the Samsung Galaxy S20 5G series, LG V60 ThinQ 5G Dual Screen and Motorola Edge-plus. 5G access is priced at an additional standard rate of CAD10 (USD7.40) a month on any post-paid plan but is currently offered as a free bonus until 31 March 2021.

Bell announced on the same day a partnership with Western University in London, Ontario to create a 5G research centre including a campus-wide 5G network to support development of Canada's 5G innovation ecosystem.

Thanks to TeleGeography for this industry update.