TELUS, ÉTS and iBwave signed an agreement to transform the construction and telecom industries with 5G

The agreement aims to create a 5G laboratory at ÉTS: a place for research and technological innovation to re-imagine the deployment of 5G networks

MONTREAL, June 14, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TELUS announces that it has signed an agreement with the École de Technologie Supérieure (ÉTS) and iBwave, a Montreal-based software developer and world leader in the deployment of indoor wireless networks. The collaboration includes the development of a 5G laboratory at ÉTS, which will serve as a meeting place for researchers, students and companies to drive innovation in telecommunications, construction, engineering and architecture through fifth-generation networks. This agreement is part of TELUS’ nearly $30 million in investments in Montreal in 2023 to deploy and update its 5G and optical fibre networks in the city.

More specifically, TELUS, ÉTS and iBwave will combine their expertise to re-imagine how wireless networks inside buildings are designed and deployed as part of large architecture and construction projects, drawing on the concept of Building Information Modelling (BIM). This approach centralizes all of a project’s data and all of a building’s characteristics in a single 3D digital representation to help improve collaboration between the various stakeholders, reduce errors and facilitate decision-making. Because many construction materials and components used in the design of large office, academic and hospital buildings have a significant impact on mobile signals, the BIM concept will make it possible to more accurately predict wireless service performance in connection with large construction projects and to plan for 5G network deployment in collaboration with all stakeholders, in much the same way as for plumbing, electrical and HVAC systems.

“This agreement with ÉTS and iBwave allows us to use technology to connect Montreal’s businesses, universities and creative minds to stimulate innovation and the digital transformation of the construction industry,” explains Nazim Benhadid, senior vice-president at TELUS. “The research done in the 5G lab at ÉTS will support innovation to optimize network performance at important sites like universities and healthcare centres. Ultimately, improved connectivity means that schools will be able to use the latest immersive technologies to help students learn, business operations will be more energy-efficient, and healthcare professionals will be able to communicate more effectively.”