Canada Telecoms Market Report

Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses

Publication Date: April 2024

Report Pages: 216

Analyst: Henry Lancaster

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Summary
Table Of Contents

Canada concludes another 5G spectrum auction

The Canadian telecom market continues to show steady development as operators invest in network upgrades. Much of the investment among telcos has been channelled into LTE infrastructure to capitalise of consumer demand for mobile data services, while there has also been further investment in 5G. Investment programs have also been supported by regulatory efforts to ensure that operators have spectrum available to develop 5G services. Spectrum in the 600MGz and 3.5GHz ranges has already been auctioned, while other auctions are planned through to 2024. In the 3.5GHz range the regulator set aside 50MHz for new entrants to encourage competition in the wireless segment.

There has also been a concentration of investment in fixed-line infrastructure, focussed on FttP and, among cable broadband providers, upgrades to the DOCSIS3.1 standard. This is having the effect that the DSL segment is steadily losing market share as customers are migrated to fibre. Telus expected to have completely decommissioned its copper network by the end of 2022.

Government policy has encouraged the extension of broadband to rural and regional areas, with the result that services are almost universally available and the emphasis now is on improving service speeds to enable the entire population to benefit from the digital economy and society. Cable broadband is the principal access platform, followed by DSL. The main cablecos are upgrading their networks to the DOCSIS3.1 standard, which can deliver data at 1Gb/s and above. Fibre deployments are also gaining momentum, with a growing number of Gigabit towns now connected.

The mobile penetration rate remains comparatively low by international standards, and so the market offers further room for growth. Canadians are well provided for LTE and LTE-A infrastructure. Despite topographical challenges and the remoteness of many areas, the major players effectively offer 99% population coverage with LTE. In the 5G segment, Telus and Bell Wireless were early triallists, followed by Shaw Communications in May 2018. Operators now provide up to 70% population coverage with 5G.

The government has endeavoured to encourage market competition by ensuring that blocks of spectrum have been reserved for new entrants, while preventing deals among operators which would have concentrated spectrum either regionally or nationally. About 43% of spectrum to be auctioned in the 600MHz band has been reserved for smaller operators in a bid to encourage competition.

This report provides a broad range of key statistical data on the major telecoms segments, as well as developments in e-commerce and e-health, and policies which support the adoption of smart meters and the progress of smart grids. It provides an overview of each major sector, an analysis of market developments and an assessment of operator strategies. The report also covers the mobile voice and data markets, as well as the fixed-line and fixed-wireless broadband sectors.

Key developments:

Google announces plan to lay the Topaz subsea cable connecting Canada to Japan, to be lit in 2023;
Second phase of the Connecting Families project is launched;
Telus calculates savings to be made from decommissioning copper infrastructure;
Rogers’ 5G network using LiDAR sensors to monitor city vehicle and pedestrian traffic;
Rogers and Shaw gain approvals for their merger;
Federal Court of Appeals directs incumbents to establish fair wholesale internet rates;
ISED approves AWS-3 spectrum sharing agreement between Bell and Telus;
Value of Canadian e-commerce transactions grew 17.9% in 2021;
Report update includes the regulator’s 2020 telecom monitoring report, operator data to February 2022, recent market developments.

Companies mentioned in this report:

Rogers Wireless, Bell Mobility, Virgin Mobile Canada, Telus Mobility, SaskTel Mobility, MTS Allstream, Freedom Mobile, Mobilicity, Public Mobile, Vidéotron Wireless, Shaw Communications, Bell Canada, Bell Aliant, BOLDstreet Wireless, Tadaa Wireless, DoDo Wireless, Hotspotzz, Wayport, Boingo, FatPort, Rogers Communications, Craig Wireless System, Barrett Xplore, I-NetLink, SaskTel, Vidéotron, Shaw Cablesystems, Rogers Cable Communications, Cogeco Cable.

Key statistics
Country overview
Telecommunications market

Overview

Regulatory environment

Regulatory authorities
Mobile network developments

CRTC and Industry Canada
Licenses
Roaming
Wireless Code

Mobile market

Market analysis
Mobile statistics

Mobile voice
Mobile data
Mobile broadband

Mobile infrastructure

5G
4G (LTE)
3G
Other infrastructure developments

Major mobile operators

Rogers Wireless
Bell Wireless (Bell Mobility)
Telus Mobility
SaskTel Mobility
New entrants
MVNOs

Mobile content and applications

M-payments
Machine-to-Machine (M2M)
LTE-M

Fixed-line broadband market

Introduction and statistical overview

Broadband statistics

Hybrid Fibre Coax (HFC) networks

Introduction
Shaw Cablesystems
Rogers Cable Communications
Vidéotron
Cogeco Cable

Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) networks

Introduction
Bell Canada
Telus Corporation
SaskTel

Fibre-to-the-Premises (FttP)

SaskTel
Bell Canada
Rogers
Telus
Ontario Broadband Project

Other fixed broadband services

Fixed wireless (Wi-Fi and WiMAX)
Satellite

Digital economy

E-health
E-Learning
E-commerce

Fixed network operators
Telecommunications infrastructure

Overview of the national telecom network
International infrastructure
Smart grid developments

Appendix – Historic data
Glossary of abbreviations
Related reports

List of Tables

Table 1 – Top Level Country Statistics and Telco Authorities- Canada – 2022 (e)
Table 2 – Telecom and broadcasting revenue (CA$ billion) – 2012 – 2020
Table 3 – Telecoms revenue by type (CA$ billion) – 2012 – 2020
Table 4 – Telecom revenue by type of provider (CA$ billion) – 2012 – 2020
Table 5 – Telecoms investment by type (CA$ billion) – 2012 – 2020
Table 6 – Telecoms investment in spectrum – 2012 – 2020
Table 7 – Average household spend on telecom services by type ($ per month) – 2012 – 2017
Table 8 – Proportion of mobile contract plans by term length – 2013 – 2018
Table 9 – Growth in the number of mobile subscribers and penetration rate – 2012 – 2027
Table 10 – Change in the share of mobile retail revenue by operator – 2016 – 2020
Table 11 – Development of mobile revenue by service type (CA$ million) – 2012 – 2020
Table 12 – Retail wireless revenue – 2012 – 2021
Table 13 – Mobile ARPU – 2012 – 2020
Table 14 – Average mobile data user per subscribers – 2014 – 2020
Table 15 – Mobile device penetration by type – 2012 – 2020
Table 16 – Mobile broadband availability by technology – 2012 – 2020
Table 17 – Text messages sent per month – 2012 – 2020
Table 18 – Average number of text messages daily – 2014 – 2020
Table 19 – Growth in the number of active mobile broadband subscribers and penetration – 2012 – 2027
Table 20 – LTE and LTE-A availability for households – 2017 – 2020
Table 21 – Rogers Wireless revenue, operating profit (CA$ million) – 2012 – 2021
Table 22 – Rogers Wireless pre and postpaid subscribers (million) – 2012 – 2021
Table 23 – Rogers Wireless annualised churn – 2012 – 2021
Table 24 – Rogers Wireless annualised ARPU (CA$ / month) – 2012 – 2021
Table 25 – Bell Wireless operating data – 2012 – 2021
Table 26 – Bell Wireless financial data (CA$ million) – 2012 – 2021
Table 27 – Development of Telus Mobility’s financial data (CA$ million) – 2012 – 2021
Table 28 – Telus Mobility prepaid and postpaid subscribers (million) – 2012 – 2021
Table 29 – Telus Mobility ARPU and monthly churn rate – 2012 – 2021
Table 30 – Development of SaskTel Mobility’s revenue – 2012 – 2022
Table 31 – SaskTel Mobility subscribers – 2012 – 2021
Table 32 – Development of Vidéotron’s mobile revenue – 2012 – 2021
Table 33 – Growth in the number of Vidéotron’s mobile subscribers – 2012 – 2021
Table 34 – Vidéotron mobile annualised ABPU – 2017 – 2021
Table 35 – Shaw Communications’ mobile subscribers (thousand) – 2016 – 2022
Table 36 – Shaw communications mobile revenue and capex (CA$ million) – 2016 – 2022
Table 37 – Retail fixed broadband market revenue – 2012 – 2020
Table 38 – Total fixed internet revenue – 2013 – 2020
Table 39 – Change in the number of DSL and cable broadband subscribers (million) – 2012 – 2019
Table 40 – Growth in the number of fixed-line broadband subscribers and penetration – 2012 – 2027
Table 41 – Proportion of residential broadband connections by data rate – 2015 – 2020
Table 42 – Household broadband availability by platform – 2012 – 2020
Table 43 – Household broadband availability by data rate – 2011 – 2019
Table 44 – Market share of fixed internet subscribers by platform – 2012 – 2019
Table 45 – Fixed broadband traffic by subscribe (GB per month) – 2012 – 2021
Table 46 – Broadband ARPU – 2012 – 2020
Table 47 – Shaw Communications subscribers (thousand) – 2012 – 2022
Table 48 – Shaw Communications revenue – 2012 – 2022
Table 50 – Rogers Cable subscriber data (thousand) – 2012 – 2021
Table 51 – Change in the number of Vidéotron’s subscriber (million) – 2012 – 2021
Table 52 – Cogeco subscribers by sector (thousand) – 2012 – 2022
Table 53 – Decline in the number of DSL broadband subscribers – 2012 – 2019
Table 54 – Bell Canada (BCE) financial data (CA$ million) – 2012 – 2021
Table 55 – Bell Canada revenue by division (CA$ million) – 2012 – 2021
Table 56 – Change in the number of Bell Canada’s subscribers by sector (million) – 2012 – 2021
Table 57 – Development of Telus’s financial data (CA$ billion) – 2012 – 2021
Table 58 – Telus subscribers by sector (million) – 2012 – 2021
Table 59 – SaskTel financial data (CA$ million) – 2012 – 2022
Table 60 – Change in the number of SaskTel’s subscribers by sector (thousand) – 2012 – 2022
Table 61 – Proportion of homes connected by fibre (incumbent telcos) – 2014 – 2020
Table 62 – Growth in the number of fibre broadband subscribers – 2012 – 2019
Table 63 – Wi-Fi hotspots in service by province – 2018 – 2019
Table 64 – Change in e-commerce and total retail sales ($ billion) – 2016 – 2022
Table 65 – Proportion of fixed-only and wireless-only households – 2012 – 2017
Table 66 – Change in the number of fixed-lines in service and penetration – 2012 – 2027
Table 67 – Fixed-line retail voice revenue – 2012 – 2020
Table 68 – Fixed-line retail and wholesale revenue (CA$ billion) – 2012 – 2020
Table 69 – International internet bandwidth – 2012 – 2016
Table 70 – Historic - Wireless subscribers and penetration – 2000 – 2011
Table 71 – Historic - Mobile revenue by service type (CA$ million) – 2002 – 2011
Table 72 – Historic - Multiple SIM card use as proportion of subscribers – 2011 – 2015
Table 73 – Historic - Prepaid and post-paid sector revenue (CA$ million) – 2010 – 2016
Table 74 – Historic - Market share of subscribers by operator – 2015 – 2016
Table 75 – Historic - Text messages sent per month – 2002 – 2011
Table 76 – Historic - Rogers Wireless revenue, operating profit (CA$ million) – 2002 – 2011
Table 77 – Historic - Bell Wireless operating data – 2006 – 2011
Table 78 – Historic - Bell Wireless financial data (CA$ million) – 2006 – 2011
Table 79 – Historic - MTS wireless revenue, ARPU – 2007 – 2014
Table 80 – Historic - Telus Mobility revenue, EBITDA, capex (CA$ million) – 2003 – 2011
Table 81 – Historic - Telus Mobility ABPU and monthly churn rate – 2002 – 2011
Table 82 – Historic - Take-up of services by type – 2009 – 2015
Table 83 – Historic - Bell Aliant subscribers by sector (thousand) – 2008 – 2014
Table 84 – Historic - Bell Aliant financial data (CA$ million) – 2008 – 2014
Table 85 – Historic - MTS financial data (CA$ million) – 2007 – 2014
Table 86 – Historic - MTS revenue by sector (CA$ million) – 2007 – 2014
Table 87 – Historic - MTS subscribers by sector (thousand) – 2007 – 2013
Table 88 – Historic - Retail fixed broadband market revenue – 2004 – 2011
Table 89 – Historic - Fixed-line retail and wholesale revenue (CA$ billion) – 2006 – 2011
Table 90 – Historic - SMS and MMS sent – 2009 – 2016
Table 91 – Historic - SaskTel Mobility subscribers – 2007 – 2011
Table 92 – Historic - DSL and cable broadband subscribers (million) – 2004 – 2011
Table 93 – Historic - Proportion of residential broadband connections by data rate – 2014 – 2018
Table 94 – Historic - Cable broadband revenue ($ billion) – 2008 – 2016
Table 95 – Historic - Development of Telus’s financial data (CA$ billion) – 2006 – 2011
Table 96 – Historic - SaskTel financial data (CA$ million) – 2007 – 2011
Table 97 – Historic - SaskTel subscribers by sector (thousand) – 2007 – 2011
Table 98 – Historic - Fixed-line retail voice revenue – 2006 – 2011
Table 99 – Historic - International internet bandwidth – 2002 – 2011
Table 100 – Historic - Telecom and broadcasting revenue (CA$ billion) – 2007 – 2011
Table 101 – Historic - Telecoms revenue by type (CA$ billion) – 2006 – 2011
Table 102 – Historic - Telecoms investment by type (CA$ billion) – 2006 – 2011
Table 103 – Historic - Telus subscribers by sector (thousand) – 2007 – 2011
Table 104 – Historic - Growth in the number of fibre broadband subscribers – 2006 – 2011
Table 105 – Historic - Proportion of fixed-only and wireless-only household – 2004 – 2011

List of Charts

Chart 1 – Telecom and broadcasting revenue – 2012 – 2020
Chart 2 – Telecoms revenue by type – 2012 – 2020
Chart 3 – Telecom revenue by type of provider – 2012 – 2020
Chart 4 – Telecoms investment by type – 2012 – 2020
Chart 5 – Telecoms investment in spectrum – 2012 – 2020
Chart 6 – Average household spend on telecom services by type – 2012 – 2017
Chart 7 – Proportion of mobile contract plans by term length – 2013 – 2018
Chart 8 – Growth in the number of mobile subscribers and penetration rate – 2012 – 2027
Chart 9 – Change in the share of mobile retail revenue by operator – 2016 – 2020
Chart 10 – Development of mobile revenue by service type – 2012 – 2020
Chart 11 – Retail wireless revenue – 2012 – 2021
Chart 12 – Mobile ARPU – 2012 – 2020
Chart 13 – Average mobile data user per subscribers – 2014 – 2020
Chart 14 – Mobile device penetration by type – 2012 – 2020
Chart 15 – Text messages sent per month – 2012 – 2020
Chart 16 – Average number of text messages daily – 2014 – 2020
Chart 17 – Growth in the number of active mobile broadband subscribers and penetration – 2012 – 2027
Chart 18 – Rogers Wireless revenue, operating profit – 2012 – 2021
Chart 19 – Rogers Wireless pre and postpaid subscribers – 2012 – 2021
Chart 20 – Rogers Wireless annualised churn – 2012 – 2021
Chart 21 – Rogers Wireless annualised ARPU – 2012 – 2021
Chart 22 – Bell Wireless financial data – 2012 – 2021
Chart 23 – Development of Telus Mobility’s financial data – 2012 – 2021
Chart 24 – Telus Mobility prepaid and postpaid subscribers – 2012 – 2021
Chart 25 – Development of SaskTel Mobility’s revenue – 2012 – 2022
Chart 26 – SaskTel Mobility subscribers – 2012 – 2021
Chart 27 – Development of Vidéotron’s mobile revenue – 2012 – 2021
Chart 28 – Growth in the number of Vidéotron’s mobile subscribers – 2012 – 2021
Chart 29 – Vidéotron mobile ABPU – 2017 – 2021
Chart 30 – Shaw Communications’ mobile subscribers – 2016 – 2022
Chart 31 – Shaw communications mobile revenue and capex – 2016 – 2022
Chart 32 – Retail fixed broadband market revenue – 2012 – 2020
Chart 33 – Total fixed internet revenue – 2013 – 2020
Chart 34 – DSL and cable broadband subscribers – 2012 – 2019
Chart 35 – Growth in the number of fixed-line broadband subscribers and penetration – 2012 – 2027
Chart 36 – Proportion of residential broadband connections by data rate – 2015 – 2020
Chart 37 – Market share of fixed internet subscribers by platform – 2012 – 2019
Chart 38 – Fixed broadband traffic by subscriber – 2012 – 2021
Chart 39 – Broadband ARPU – 2012 – 2020
Chart 40 – Shaw Communications subscribers by type – 2012 – 2022
Chart 41 – Shaw Communications revenue – 2012 – 2022
Chart 42 – Rogers Cable financial data – 2012 – 2021
Chart 43 – Rogers Cable subscriber data – 2012 – 2021
Chart 44 – Change in the number of Vidéotron’s subscriber – 2012 – 2021
Chart 45 – Decline in the number of DSL broadband subscribers – 2012 – 2019
Chart 46 – Bell Canada (BCE) financial data – 2012 – 2021
Chart 47 – Bell Canada revenue by division – 2012 – 2021
Chart 48 – Change in the number of Bell Canada’s subscribers by sector – 2012 – 2021
Chart 49 – Development of Telus’s financial data – 2012 – 2021
Chart 50 – Telus subscribers by sector – 2012 – 2021
Chart 51 – SaskTel financial data – 2012 – 2022
Chart 52 – Change in the number of SaskTel’s subscribers by sector – 2012 – 2021
Chart 53 – Growth in the number of fibre broadband subscribers – 2012 – 2019
Chart 54 – Change in e-commerce and total retail sales – 2016 – 2022
Chart 55 – Proportion of fixed-only and wireless-only household – 2012 – 2017
Chart 56 – Change in the number of fixed-lines in service and penetration – 2012 – 2027
Chart 57 – Fixed-line retail voice revenue – 2012 – 2020
Chart 58 – Fixed-line retail and wholesale revenue – 2012 – 2020
Chart 59 – International internet bandwidth – 2012 – 2016

List of Exhibits

Exhibit 1 – AWS-3 auction results – March 2015
Exhibit 2 – 700MHz auction results – February 2014
Exhibit 3 – 700MHz auction licensees by province – February 2014
Exhibit 4 – 2.5GHz spectrum auction results – April 2015
Exhibit 5 – Major submarine cables landing in Canada

Related Reports

USA - Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses

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Canada Telecoms Market Report

Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses

Purchase this Report

Canada concludes another 5G spectrum auction

Key developments:

Companies mentioned in this report:

Key statistics

Country overview

Telecommunications market

Regulatory environment

Mobile market

Fixed-line broadband market

Digital economy

Fixed network operators

Telecommunications infrastructure

Appendix – Historic data

Glossary of abbreviations

Related reports

Purchase this Report

Share this Report

TMT Intelligence

A platform to scale your intelligence tasks

Research Methodology

Hot Topics

News & Views