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Rogers to roll out faster, next- generation network

Rogers Communications Inc. will roll out an even faster wireless network this year to serve its smartphone, tablet and mobile laptop users, effectively beating its rivals in the race to have the fastest network in Canada.

Rogers Communications Inc. will roll out an even faster wireless network this year to serve its smartphone, tablet and mobile laptop users, effectively beating its rivals in the race to have the fastest network in Canada.

Rogers says it will roll out the new LTE network in Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal and Vancouver by the end of 2011 and will reach Canada’s top 25 markets by the end of 2012.

“Our customers will be the amongst the first in the world to experience Long-Term Evolution or LTE, which is a next-generation network that would transform our customers’ mobile experience,” chief executive Nadir Mohamed said Wednesday.

Vancouver-based telecom operator Telus (TSX:T) is planning to roll out its own LTE network in 2012. Montreal-based Bell (TSX:BCE) has announced it’s also testing the technology but hasn’t said when it will roll out the network. U.S.-based Verizon has launched an LTE network.

The new Rogers LTE network will have speeds that are three to four times faster than its existing most advanced network, which is about on a par with the most advanced networks of Telus and Bell.

Mohamed said the LTE network will significantly increase upload and download speeds, improve multi-player gaming and allow workers to be truly mobile. The technology would allow users, for example, to talk on their smartphones and watch a high-definition video at the same time.

It also has the ability to accommodate more network users without affecting speed, he added.

However, devices that run on LTE networks are just starting to be sold to consumers.

For business people, it means a “workforce as efficient and secure” as their offices, Mohamed said.

He also said the next-generation network will “fuel” Canada’s digital economy and that Rogers wants to work with the new federal government to make Canada the digital leader of this century.

Rogers will first deploy the LTE network on radio waves that it already owns.

But Mohamed also called on the federal government not to put any conditions on the next auction for the sought-after 700 megahertz radio waves that networks can use to better reach rural and remote areas and to better penetrate city buildings with fewer dropped calls.

Rogers has said it doesn’t want any of the new wireless players, such as Wind Mobile or Mobilicity, to be the only carriers allowed to bid on the 700 megahertz spectrum auction, expected in 2012 or 2013.

“Denying established carriers with the expertise, national footprint and large customer base is a recipe for leaving Canada behind in the wake of countries who understand the competitive advantage that this spectrum will bring,” Mohamed said.

“It will be a shame if our nine million customers were denied the benefit of this low-band spectrum. Quite simply, we need rules that apply equally to everyone.”

Deloitte Canada analyst Duncan Stewart said Rogers has moved ahead in the “speed wars.”

For new wireless companies, upgrading to LTE is a “pretty big ticket item” after they’ve just built advanced networks, said Stewart, director of research in technology, media and telecommunications.

Most of the new wireless players’ customer base so far appears to do more talking on their phones and they are more price sensitive, he said.

“They really don’t have to play the speed wars probably quite yet when you look at who they seem to be appealing to.”

Anthony Lacavera, chairman of Wind Mobile, said he doesn’t feel pressured to upgrade Wind Mobile’s network.

“There’s no or very, very few devices or tablets or handsets that can take advantage of the speeds anyway,” he said.

Wind Mobile will time its network upgrade with the announcement of devices that can use LTE networks, Lacavera said.