Key Partners

ENCQOR 5G is a transformational $400 million partnership that brings together five global digital technology leaders (Ericsson, Ciena Canada Inc., Thales Canada Inc., IBM Canada, and CGI) and provincial coordinators Prompt, Innovation ENCQOR, and Ontario Centre of Innovation (OCI). This partnership is made possible in part by funding from the Canadian government and the provincial governments of Québec and Ontario.

ENCQOR 5G ANCHOR PARTNERS

The ENCQOR 5G Project enables Ericsson to conduct research and innovation activities considering several factors influencing the development of 5G next-generation network capabilities, including: radios; cybersecurity; advanced content distribution systems; cloud computing; Big Data applications; Internet of Things (IoT); next-generation heterogeneous network management systems; and data centre management systems.

Ciena Corporation’s research and development participation aims to build a forward-looking, open, and programmable broadband packet-optical network to interconnect specific cities and access points in Ontario and Québec. Ciena’s testbed facilitates the rapid development and deployment of user-controlled applications, machine-to-machine communications, and emerging 5G technologies and enables use cases that will influence the definition of future networking capabilities.

Thales’ role for the ENCQOR 5G Project is to develop urban science applications that are ready for testing in a technology showcase by a community of end users, thereby incentivizing industry and university research stakeholders to address urban challenges and identify sustainable solutions. The innovative applications and business models demonstrated may be used subsequently by other cities and regions along the ENCQOR 5G corridor and in additional markets globally. The key areas of interest to Thales include: Urban Mobility, Safe City and Urban Computing applications.

As a key element in ENCQOR 5G’s research and development, the IBM Bromont plant intends to develop and test assembly methods required for the cost-effective manufacturing of optoelectronic components using new photonic technologies. The design and qualification of these components will result in the input-output bandwidth capacity essential to the new generation of data centres, cutting-edge cloud services, and the smooth operation of 5G broadband networks such as that of the ENCQOR 5G consortium.

CGI will help accelerate the transition to a virtual connected workforce with the development of SaaS-based smart grid capabilities to enhance networked services along the ENCQOR 5G communications corridor. The integration of CGI’s PragmaCAD mobile solution will provide a digital platform to support video-based workflow collaboration for field technicians, control and dispatch centers, and mobile-enabled resources.

GOVERNMENT PARTNERS

The Government of Canada is investing in 5G technology because it has the potential to change the way we live, work and engage with one another. To be competitive in the global innovation race, we must be bold, visionary and decisive. ENCQOR 5G represents an investment in next-generation wireless technology that will help make Canada a global innovation leader.

The Government of Ontario, through its investment in ENCQOR 5G, is helping businesses in the province capitalize on the vast potential of 5G and other high-speed communications technologies to expand their horizons, accelerate their innovation, and transform the way we all live and do business.

Through ENCQOR 5G, the Government of Québec is helping to create an important synergy between businesses in the information and communications technologies sector and the research and innovation community. Québec is a leader in innovation and the development of cutting-edge digital technologies, which is enhanced by the emergence of 5G.

COORDINATING PARTNERS

ENCQOR Innovation brings together large companies, SMES, and academia, to contribute to the advancement of research, innovation and demonstration of applications using a pre-commercial 5G platform based on next-generation digital, information and communication technologies.

 

Ontario Centre of Innovation (OCI) drives the commercialization of cutting-edge research across key market sectors to build the economy of tomorrow and secure Ontario's global competitiveness. In doing this, OCI fosters the training and development of the next generation of innovators and entrepreneurs and is a key partner with Ontario's industry, universities, colleges, research hospitals, investors and governments. 

Prompt is a not-for-profit corporation that supports the creation of partnerships and the setting up of R & D projects between companies and the institutional research community (universities, CCTT and public research centers). The projects financed cover all ICT sub-sectors and cover both software and hardware development as well as the development of components, networks and applications.

Since 1978, the ADRIQ has led an ecosystem of businesses and institutions dedicated to research and innovation. This unique and influential network fosters partnerships and collaboration to accelerate commercialization. The ADRIQ’s mission is to support and promote research and innovation in Quebec with the goal of increasing the competitiveness of Quebec businesses locally and internationally. The ADRIQ is backed by a support network of RCTi accredited consultants, which brings together some 40 innovation specialists to enhance the competitiveness of businesses.