Iristel Enters Into a Collaboration Agreement with ENCQOR 5G
Iristel is excited to announce a formal collaboration agreement with ENCQOR 5G — the Evolution of Cloud Services in the Quebec-Ontario Corridor for Research and Innovation. This partnership positions Iristel at the forefront of Canada’s 5G innovation ecosystem and reflects our commitment to bringing next-generation connectivity to Canadians who need it most.
ENCQOR 5G is a transformational Canada-Quebec-Ontario partnership bringing together industry, SMEs, the public sector, innovation centres, and academia to realize the technological promise of 5G across the Quebec-Ontario corridor.
What is ENCQOR 5G?
ENCQOR 5G is a $400 million public-private partnership co-funded by the federal and provincial governments of Canada, Quebec, and Ontario. Its mandate is to accelerate 5G innovation by giving Canadian companies access to pre-commercial 5G networks, testbeds, and expertise — enabling development, testing, and validation of 5G applications in a real-world environment without the cost of building proprietary infrastructure.
Why This Partnership Matters for Iristel
As Canada’s largest independent CLEC, Iristel operates the most extensive facilities-based voice network in the country — coast-to-coast-to-coast, including northern and remote communities through our Ice Wireless subsidiary. The ENCQOR 5G collaboration advances Iristel’s mission to bridge Canada’s digital divide by giving us access to the research ecosystem, testing infrastructure, and innovation networks that will shape the 5G services of the next decade.
Key areas of collaboration
- 5G application development — testing and validating new services on ENCQOR’s pre-commercial 5G network
- Rural and remote connectivity — developing 5G use cases for northern communities where Ice Wireless operates
- IoT and edge computing — exploring enterprise 5G applications for industrial and public sector customers
- Telehealth and emergency services — high-reliability 5G connectivity for critical public services in remote regions
What 5G Means for Canadian Businesses and Communities
| 5G Capability | Business Application | Community Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Ultra-low latency | Real-time industrial automation | Remote surgery and telehealth |
| Massive device connectivity | IoT sensor networks at scale | Smart city infrastructure |
| High bandwidth | 4K video conferencing, cloud streaming | Remote education access |
| Network slicing | Dedicated capacity for critical workloads | Reliable emergency services |
Iristel is uniquely positioned to leverage 5G to bridge Canada’s digital divide. As the only carrier with true coast-to-coast-to-coast coverage including the North, we can bring 5G’s transformative potential to communities that have been underserved by every other provider.
About Iristel and Ice Wireless
Iristel is Canada’s largest independent CLEC, founded in 1999 and headquartered in Markham, Ontario. Ice Wireless is Iristel’s northern subsidiary, providing LTE and wireless services across the Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, and northern Quebec — regions where Iristel’s 5G investment will have the most transformative impact.
