Videotron is expanding its partnership with Samsung with a major upgrade to the carrier’s core network infrastructure, which could help boost performance for customers.
According to details shared by the companies, Videotron will modernize its network infrastructure using Samsung’s 5G Non-Standalone (NSA) and 4G LTE Core Gateway tech, which will bring improved flexibility and connectivity.
5G NSA, for those unfamiliar, is something of a stepping stone between 4G LTE and full standalone (SA) 5G. 5G NSA typically uses a 4G LTE core for signal with a 5G layer on top for data connection, allowing carriers to deploy 5G faster while reusing the existing LTE network structure. The upside here is that speeds will improve with 5G NSA, but might not reach the peaks 5G SA offers.
For Videotron, this means optimizing its network performance and ensuring seamless connectivity for customers across Canada. Other highlights include enhanced reliability and resilience, and flexible scaling to support future growth.
In a press release, Videotron CTO and senior vice president Mohamed Drif said Samsung’s solution offers the flexibility the company needs to improve its service in Quebec and expand its Fizz brand across Canada. However, the release didn’t mention Videotron’s other wireless brand, Freedom Mobile.
Over the last few years, Videotron has worked to expand wireless offerings outside of Quebec. So far, the company has leveraged its Fizz sub-brand to offer service in B.C., Alberta, Manitoba, and Ontario via the CRTC’s Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) platform. MVNOs allow providers to purchase and resell wireless service from other carriers. More recently, Fizz officially launched 5G service.
Videotron and Samsung began collaborating back in 2019 with a Radio Access Network (RAN) partnership. RAN is the part of a mobile network that connects your phone to the carrier’s core network, and impacts things like coverage, speed, latency and more.
Samsung also works with other Canadian carriers, most recently including Saskatchewan-based SaskTel, which began rolling out Samsung’s cloud-native 4G and 5G Core on the network last year.
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