Bell Canada (NYSE: BCE) and Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERIC) announced they completed a successful field test of AI-native link adaptation, claiming it is the first such test globally. The companies say this technology optimizes spectral efficiency in mobile networks, enhancing performance. Bell’s tests showed up to a 20 percent higher downlink throughput and a 10 percent increase in spectral efficiency, resulting in faster download speeds and better connection reliability.
Developed at Ericsson’s Ottawa, Ontario R&D labs, the AI-native link adaptation integrates AI throughout its components and executes on the baseband unit in real-time. It improves performance in challenging scenarios like interference and poor channel quality.
Ericsson provided advanced AI technology and R&D resources, while Bell offered network infrastructure and operational expertise for testing. Mark McDonald, Bell SVP Networks, stated that this technology could revolutionize network resource management, offering faster speeds and more reliable connections.
Separately, TELUS (NYSE: TU) announced plans to establish its first Sovereign AI Factories in Canada, providing high-performance AI computing aligned with the Pan-Canadian AI Strategy. These facilities will be secured and operated by TELUS, ensuring compute power and intellectual property remain in the country.
As the first North American service provider to become an official NVIDIA (NASDAQ: NVDA) Cloud Partner, TELUS will utilize NVIDIA’s Hopper and Blackwell GPUs at these sites, starting with Rimouski, Quebec, this summer, then expanding to Kamloops, British Columbia. Powered by 99 percent renewable energy, TELUS says these AI Factories are among the world’s most sustainable data centers, built on its Fuel iX enterprise GenAI platform.
Darren Entwistle, TELUS President and CEO commented that their new AI Factories in Rimouski and Kamloops mark a significant advancement for Canada’s AI sector. These facilities will keep data and computations within Canadian borders, enhancing competitiveness and accelerating innovations in health, sustainability, and agriculture. He added that this initiative aims to strengthen Canada’s AI technology development, boost productivity, and empower local businesses and researchers to compete globally.
By John Celentano, Inside Towers Business Editor
Reader Interactions