Rogers announces Ignite Gigabit internet, 4K streaming sports broadcasts

Announcing you’re deploying gigabit speeds without actually offering gigabit speeds (or only offering it to a select few locations) is what we affectionately refer to as “fiber to the press release”. With the launch of Gigabit service, customers can watch the TV content at 4K while reading streaming movies and 4K broadcasts on all their devices by taking advantage of superior image quality and reduced odds, Laurence said, adding that it is an experience that the phone technology making use of copper son cannot offer. According to Rogers, this new internet tier is called “Rogers Ignite Gigabit internet” and is set to roll out across downtown Toronto this year, and to the company’s entire cable audience by the end of 2016.

By next year, Rogers hopes to boost the need for “gigabit” Internet with a raft of sports content and hundreds of hours of TV programming in 4K ultra high-definition resolution, for which customers will need an Ultra-HD TV.

The GTA communities of Vaughan, Markham, Richmond Hill, Pickering, Ajax and Whitby. Currently, more than 3.4 million homes in Ontario can enjoy Internet speeds Rogers up to five times faster than competitors can offer most homes.

Viewers who stream the 4K image quality will quickly discover their current Internet connections can’t handle the heavy data load, which Rogers hopes will convince them to upgrade to more expensive packages.

Rogers Chief Executive Guy Laurence made the announcement from the baseball team’s home plate, days ahead of its first postseason appearance since 1993, when it won its second successive World Series.

Over 20 major National Hockey League games will be broadcast live on Sportsnet at 4K format, starting with the January 23 between the Montreal Canadiens and the Maple Leafs in Toronto.

The Rogers 4K Live Sports content package will feature streaming live broadcasting of more than 100 different sports events as they unfold, with the inclusion of all 81 Toronto Blue Jays home games. The operator also said that Netflix’s (NASDAQ: NFLX) 4K catalog will be available to subscribers. The cost of 4K televisions also could prove to be a setback at this point, as majority soar above $1,000.

More than 100 hours of movies, original series and TV shows on Shomi 4K.

The opportunity will be welcome for many Canadian telecoms who have been looking for new ways to drive growth after a move from regulators earlier this year which shortened the window for wireless contracts, said Levy.