Article Summary
Bell Mobility offers 5G wireless service in more than a dozen markets across most of Canada. The carrier sells 5G capable smartphones, but currently most of the supported options cost over $1,000. Bell customers looking to upgrade may want to wait for wider deployment and cheaper devices before jumping on the 5G bandwagon.
Canadians have more choice than ever now that Bell 5G offers fast connectivity and highspeed downloads. Telus and Bell share Canada’s largest 4G LTE cell tower network, and that partnership continues with 5G service. Bell Mobility also supports 5G smartphones on one of the fastest 4G LTE-Advanced mobile networks in the world with coverage for 99% of Canadians.
Access to the Bell 5G network requires three conditions:
- Use of a supported 5G smartphone
- Bell 5G coverage in your area
- A Bell Unlimited or Connect Everything plan subscription
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#1
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Bell
Promo 75
$60/mth
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#2
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Bell
Promo 75
$60/mth
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#3
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Bell
Essential 100GB
$90/mth
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#4
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Bell
Ultimate 150GB Canada-US
$105/mth
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Bell 5G Phones
The Samsung Galaxy S20 is the first consumer smartphone in Canada with 5G connectivity. The Rogers network was the only one that supported the Galaxy S20 with 5G service when it was launched, but Bell now supports 5G connections using the Galaxy S20 as well as premium models from other device manufacturers. Bell is the only carrier that sells the new Samsung Galaxy Fold2 5G.
Apple
Samsung
- Samsung Galaxy S21 5G, Galaxy S21+ 5G, Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G
- Samsung Galaxy Note20 5G, Galaxy Note20 Ultra 5G
- Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G, Galaxy S20 5G, Galaxy S20+ 5G, Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G
- Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5G, Galaxy Z Fold2 5G (Bell only)
LG
- LG V60 ThinQ 5G Dual Screen (Discontinued)
- LG Velvet 5G
Motorola
Bell 5G Coverage
Since its launch in June 2020, Bell has expanded 5G service to cover Canada from British Columbia to southeast Quebec. Bell’s 5G coverage was initially double that of Rogers 5G, in part because Bell has partnered with Telus to deploy twice as many nationwide 5G towers for service. Bell and Telus plan to cover more than two dozen markets with 5G towers by the end of the year.
Currently, Bell 5G uses mid-band frequencies already in use by older 4G LTE connections. As a result, Bell can quickly and cheaply deploy 5G technology using existing cell tower antennas. Future applications of Bell 5G will include low band frequencies that offer service deep inside buildings and far into rural Canada. When Bell enables high band 5G frequencies, it will further increase bandwidth and allow connectivity to a variety of devices including smart cars. Read more about 5G frequencies in Canada.
Bell 5G Phone Plans
Bell 5G access is available to customers on postpaid month-to-month or two-year contract plans, which includes Unlimited and Connect Everything plans. There is no additional fee to access 5G. Customers of Bell prepaid, Virgin Mobile and Lucky Mobile cannot access 5G service at this time.
Unlimited plans enable full 4G or 5G speeds until you hit your data cap,
usually between 10GB to 50GB. After that, you can continue accessing the
internet at reduced speed for the rest of your billing month. It’s still fast
enough to browse the internet or listen to music, but video streams will take a
long time to load. That’s a disappointment when you’re hoping for 5G speeds, though
Bell offers data add-ons starting at $25 that get you back up to speed.
Customers subscribed on Connect Everything plans can access Bell’s
5G network. A Connect Everything plan lets you share data with other devices on the same
account, but it typically costs more than an Unlimited plan. There’s also no
protection from overage charges if you hit your monthly data cap. If you’re
shopping for Bell 5G, stick with the Unlimited plans.
Bell prepaid plans do not currently include access to Bell 5G service. Flanker brands including Virgin Mobile and Lucky Mobile let you use the Bell network with compatible devices, but you are restricted to 4G LTE connections.
Is Bell 5G Safe?
Bell 5G technology is completely safe. Industry experts with Health Canada recommend broadcast limitations which are enforced by the government of Canada. Bell’s current 5G network uses technology similar to their existing 4G network. New services will use higher frequencies in the future, but there’s nothing to worry about from a health perspective.
While there are a lot of scary videos on YouTube about the "untested dangers of 5G," you should find the truth for yourself. The WhistleOut Canada 5G Dangers Guide will help you understand all the facts around 5G technology so you can build your own educated opinion. Our full collection of 5G Guides can also help you better understand the 5G landscape in Canada.
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