Bell selects Nokia to introduce 5G to Canada

Montreal-based telecoms company Bell has chosen Nokia as its first 5G network supplier, the first of its kind in Canada so far.

Announcing the news in a press release on the company’s website, Bell confirmed that pre-orders for upcoming next-gen smartphone models, such as the Samsung Galaxy S20 5G, would be available from 6 March 2020. 

The revelation came after several weeks of wrangling with the decision of whether to use Huawei or not. This is linked to the province of Ottawa’s security-based review of the Chinese network, although it does not preclude Bell using Huawei in the future.

Putting 5G in Canadians’ hands

Excited that the company could proceed with bringing Canadian citizens their first taste of next-gen internet capabilities, Claire Gillies, President of Bell, expressed pride at the company’s pioneering progress.

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"Bell is very excited to bring the first 5G-capable smartphones to our customers as we prepare to launch initial 5G service on Canada's best national mobile network," she said.

"Samsung's Galaxy S20 5G series will deliver access to increasingly faster speeds and the best possible mobile experience for video streaming, gaming, and other high-demand applications. We're proud to begin Canada's move to the next generation of mobile communications alongside our partners at Samsung."

Jennifer Safruk, VP of Samsung Electronic Canada, was equally buoyant about the prospect of being technological leaders in the 5G race. "We are focused on being a 5G leader in Canada. Putting the first 5G device in consumers' hands will ensure that Canadians are ready to experience the speeds and performance that 5G networks will offer.”

"The Galaxy S20 5G series will offer new ways of communicating and experiencing entertainment and gaming, powered by an impressive camera that pushes the boundaries of what AI can do,” she stated.

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