List of Canadian mobile phone companies
As of March 2021, there are over 33 million wireless subscriptions in Canada.[1] Approximately 90% of Canadian mobile phone users subscribe to one of the four largest national telecommunication companies (Rogers Wireless, Bell Mobility, Freedom Mobile and Telus Mobility) or one of their subsidiary brands. These four mobile network operators own and operate transmission facilities that cover most of the country, though they sometimes share each other's networks in certain geographical regions in order to reduce costs and reach more customers.
The remaining 10% of subscribers are served by smaller, regional providers, mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs), and resellers.[2] Regional providers own and operate transmission facilities that cover a limited area and rely on partnerships with national service providers to connect their customers across Canada. In contrast, MVNOs and resellers do not own spectrum or network infrastructure and are required to lease network capacity from other providers at wholesale rates. While MVNOs have their own facilities to package and support their mobile services, resellers rely on the host network provider to package, market, bill, and deliver mobile services.[3]
All wireless service providers in Canada are regulated by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC), which has been blamed by some for the concentration of wireless service subscribers to only three large national carriers. Though measures have been taken to encourage more competition, critics suggest that more should be done to address the issue, e.g. by mandating wholesale network access for MVNOs.[4][5]
Mobile network operators (MNOs)
This is a list of mobile network operators, which includes national and regional service providers. Where applicable, this list will also include any subsidiary "extension" brands associated with a mobile service provider. While primary brands, such as Rogers Wireless or Bell Mobility, account for roughly 82% of wireless revenue, extension brands allow wireless service providers to differentiate service offerings and reach broader market segments.[6]
Operator | Voice technology | Data technology | Subscribers
(in millions) |
Coverage
(excluding roaming) |
Ownership |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Airtel Wireless | iDEN | N/A | Unknown | Calgary, AB | Airtel Wireless Ltd. |
Bell Mobility
•Includes Virgin Plus, Lucky Mobile, Bell MTS, Bell Aliant, Northwestel, |
UMTS, VoLTE, Wi-Fi calling | HSPA+, LTE, NR | 10.028 (Q2 2023)
•Postpaid: 9.151 •Prepaid: 0.877 |
Nationwide[note 1] | BCE Inc. |
Eastlink Wireless | UMTS, VoLTE | HSPA+, LTE | 0.075 (Q4 2015) | NB, NL, NS, ON, PE | Eastlink |
Fleetcom | iDEN | N/A | Unknown | Toronto, ON | Fleetcom Inc. |
Iristel
•Includes Ice Wireless |
UMTS, VoLTE | HSPA+, LTE | Unknown | NU, NT, YT, QC | Iristel |
Keewaytinook Mobile | GSM | EDGE | Unknown | ON | K-Net |
Rogers Wireless
•Includes Fido Mobile, Chatr Mobile, Cityfone, Primus Wireless, Zoomer Wireless, SimplyConnect, Shaw Mobile |
UMTS, VoLTE, Wi-Fi calling | HSPA+, LTE, NR | 11.349
(Q2 2023) •Postpaid: 10.107 •Prepaid: 1.242 |
All Provinces | Rogers Communications |
SaskTel Mobility
•Includes Lum Mobile |
UMTS, VoLTE, Wi-Fi calling | HSPA+, LTE, NR | 0.654 (Q4 2022) | SK | SaskTel |
Sogetel Mobilité | UMTS, VoLTE | HSPA+, LTE | Unknown | QC | Sogetel |
Qiniq | GSM, VoLTE | EDGE, LTE | Unknown | NU | SSi Canada |
EEyou Mobility | GSM, VoLTE | EDGE, LTE | Unknown | QC | SSi Canada |
TbayTel Mobility | UMTS, VoLTE | HSPA+, LTE | Unknown | ON | TbayTel |
Telus Mobility
•Includes Koodo Mobile, Public Mobile, DCI Wireless |
UMTS, VoLTE, Wi-Fi calling | HSPA+, LTE, NR | 9.178[7] (Q3 2021) | Nationwide[note 1] | Telus Corporation |
TNW Wireless | GSM, UMTS | EDGE, HSPA+ | Unknown | BC, YT | TNW Networks |
Québecor
•Includes Fizz Mobile,Vidéotron Mobility,Freedom Mobile |
UMTS, VoLTE, Wi-Fi calling | HSPA+, LTE, NR | 3.600 (Q2 2023) | QC, ON, BC, AB | Québecor |
- Bell Mobility and Telus Mobility have a multiple operator core network agreement to provide a common radio network to the customer (distinct from a roaming arrangement, where the radio networks are separate). Bell builds most of its towers in Eastern Canada, while most of Telus' towers are in Western Canada.
Mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) and resellers
Operator | Network | Ownership | Type |
---|---|---|---|
7-Eleven Speak Out Wireless | Rogers Wireless | Ztar Mobile | Reseller[8] |
rasamobile.com | Unknown | Rasa Mobile | |
dotmobile | Iristel[9] | Data On Tap Inc. | MVNO[8] |
Cansel Connect | Rogers Wireless | Cansel | |
DCI Wireless | Telus Mobility | DCI Telecom | Reseller[8] |
Execulink Mobility | Bell Mobility | Execulink Telecom | Reseller[8] |
Fongo Wireless | Rogers Wireless | Unknown | Data only plans |
good2go Mobile Canada[10] | Rogers Wireless | Ztar Mobile | Reseller[8] |
KORE Wireless[11] | Rogers Wireless | KORE Telematics | |
OnStar | Bell Mobility | General Motors | |
PC Mobile | Bell Mobility | Loblaws | Reseller[8] |
Petro-Canada Mobility | Rogers Wireless | Ztar Mobile | Reseller[8] |
Wundle Mobile | Bell Mobility/Telus Mobility | Fabricate INC | |
PhoneBox | Rogers and Telus | PhoneBox | Reseller |
Canadiansim.com | Rogers Wireless | Canadiansim.com | Reseller |
Former MVNOs
Operator | Network | Ownership | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Solo Mobile | Bell Mobility | Bell Canada | Discontinued for new customers, but still active for current ones. |
Clearnet | Telus Mobility | Telus Mobility | Discontinued as of June 2, 2012. Started on April 5, 2011 by Telus. |
Defunct, merged and acquired operators
Some operators listed below may still function as a separate brand but they no longer own any infrastructure (towers, network, etc.).
Operator | Ownership | Voice technology | Data technology | End date | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
CityWest | CityWest | GSM | EDGE | December 13, 2013 | Wireless services discontinued; mobile customers transitioned to Telus[12] |
Clearnet | Clearnet Communications | CDMA2000 | EV-DO | 2000 | Network merged with Telus |
Dryden Municipal Telephone Service | Dryden Municipal Telephone Service | GSM, CDMA2000 | EDGE, EV-DO | December 21, 2012 | Wireless customers migrated to Tbaytel[13] |
Fido | Microcell | GSM | EDGE | November 8, 2004 | Network merged with Rogers; continues to operate as an MVNO. |
Kenora Municipal Telephone Service | Kenora Municipal Telephone Service | CDMA2000 | EV-DO | February 2008 | Acquired by Bell Aliant. |
Lynx Mobility | Lynx Mobility | GSM | EDGE | March 2018 | Ceased operations. |
Mobilicity | DAVE Wireless | UMTS | HSPA+ | July 19, 2015 | Acquired by Rogers Wireless; customers transitioned to Chatr Mobile. |
NorthernTel Mobility | NorthernTel Mobility | June 19, 2014 | Acquired by Bell Aliant | ||
Public Mobile | Public Mobile | CDMA2000 | EV-DO | August 8, 2014[14] | Acquired by Telus; CDMA network decommissioned, continues to operate as a Telus MVNO[14] |
Superior Wireless | Superior Wireless | CDMA2000 | EV-DO | August 2006 | Merged with TBayTel |
Télébec Mobilité | Télébec | February 2007 | Télébec Mobilité wireless subscribers moved to Bell Aliant.[15] |
See also
- Internet in Canada
- Mobile country code#Canada - CA
- List of Canadian electric utilities
- List of Canadian telephone companies
- List of telephone operating companies
- List of mobile network operators
- List of mobile network operators of the Americas#Canada
- List of United States wireless communications service providers
References
- "Subscribers Stats EN 2021 Q1" (PDF). CWTA. Retrieved June 6, 2021.
- "Communications Monitoring Report 2015" (PDF). CRTC.
- "Mobile Service Providers". February 16, 2016.
- Geist, Michael (May 8, 2015). "CRTC falls short on true wireless competition". Toronto Star.
- Chin, Brian (May 8, 2015). "No room for low-cost MVNO smartphone plan providers in Canada".
- "Percentage of revenues and subscribers derived via primary brands, extension brands, and resellers/rebillers, 2014" (PDF). Communications Monitoring Report. CRTC.
- "Quarterly Reports, Investor Relations - About". TELUS. Retrieved November 21, 2021.
- Wideman, Alex. "What is an MVNO? List and Status in Canada". Cansumer. Retrieved September 26, 2022.
- "Iristel - Iristel Partners with dotmobile". www.iristel.com. September 22, 2020. Retrieved December 6, 2021.
- soon to be absorbed by PCM
- only data, no voice
- "About TELUS". about.telus.com. Archived from the original on December 16, 2013. Retrieved May 20, 2015.
- "DMTS Notice to Customers " Dryden Municipal Telephone System". Dryden Municipal Telephone System. Retrieved October 21, 2015.
- "Public Mobile". www.publicmobile.ca.
- "About Télébec > History".