These companies are taking advantage of Ottawa's world-class environment for leading-edge products, technologies and innovations.
Ciena is the second largest supplier in the world of optical technology, which is the high-speed core of today’s internet. Since purchasing Ottawa’s former technology giant Nortel Networks’ carrier ethernet and optical networking division in 2010, the company has grown to do the majority of their global R&D in the nation’s capital and has become the region’s second-largest technology employer after Nokia.
Ericsson has had a strategic R&D facility in Ottawa for over 10 years and has pioneered cutting-edge products for its customers all over the world. As an example of local technology leadership, in collaboration with the City of Ottawa and Rogers Communications, Ericsson installed wireless sensors in eight rivers and streams in the National Capital Region. These sensors are automated and can monitor temperature fluctuations, water quality, and other variables and thereby detect unusual levels of toxicity in the water supply. If any potential issues with the waterways are detected, the sensors send signal alerts to the city officials. Ericsson’s Connected Water solution is not only efficient, but also brings significant cost savings for the City of Ottawa. Each sensor is estimated to cost $4000 less than other solutions on the market. It recently opened the state-of-the-art Ericsson Open Lab here in Ottawa. It allows researchers from around the world to collaborate remotely on 5G wireless technology projects.
Nokia is spearheading next-generation communication services, revolutionizing the future of 5G and internet of things. Nokia’s presence in Ottawa is primarily focused on research and development. Product lines developed in Ottawa focus on high-performance networking that supports the delivery of advanced residential, business, and mobile services. This Finnish multinational has a history of partnerships with local post-secondary institutions in order to nurture tomorrow’s innovators and garner a pipeline of high-quality expertise. For instance, Nokia has virtualized its equipment to allow Carleton University BIT students to access the Nokia lab remotely for hands-on experience with testing, troubleshooting, and configuring networks. Their award-winning Nokia Bell Labs is a leader in the development and deployment of 5G networks.