List of Canadian mobile phone companies
This is a list of mobile network operators in Canada.
As of Q3 2015, there are over 29 million wireless subscriptions in Canada. Approximately 90% of cell phone users subscribe to one of the three largest Canadian telecom companies (Rogers Wireless, Telus Mobility and Bell Mobility) or one of their subsidiary brands.
Mobile network operators
This list is ordered from largest to smallest by the number of current subscriptions.
Parent Company | Brands and subsidiaries | % of Canadian population covered | Subscriptions (2015) | Blended ARPU monthly (2014) | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Postpaid | Prepaid | Total | ||||
Rogers Communications | Rogers Wireless, Fido, Chatr, Cityfone, Mobilicity | LTE: 86%[1] HSPA+: 82% GSM: 97%[2] |
8,271,000 | 1,606,000 | 9,877,000 | $59.16 |
Telus[note 1] | Telus Mobility, Koodo Mobile, Mike, Clearnet, Public Mobile | LTE: 91% HSPA+: 96% [3][note 2] |
7,352,000 | 1,105,000 | 8,457,000 | $63.74 |
Bell Canada | Bell Mobility, Virgin Mobile, Solo Mobile | LTE: 93% HSPA+: 98% [4][note 2] |
7,375,416 | 870,415 | 8,245,831 | $63.09 |
Shaw Communications | Wind Mobile | HSPA+: 44%[5] | N/A | 940,000[6] | $38.00 | |
SaskTel | SaskTel Mobility | Saskatchewan | N/A | 615,694 | $64.39 | |
Vidéotron | Vidéotron Mobile | Québec and Ottawa | N/A | 742,500[7] | $69.44 | |
Manitoba Telecom Services | MTS Mobility | Manitoba | 409,084 | 65,517 | 478,846[8] | $59.70 |
Eastlink | Eastlink Wireless | Atlantic Canada | N/A | |||
Tbaytel | Tbaytel Mobility | Thunder Bay | N/A | |||
Ice Wireless | Ice Wireless, Sugar Mobile | Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut | N/A | |||
References:[9] | ||||||
- ↑ Telus numbers include those of recently acquired of Public and may be different from CWTA-reported.
- 1 2 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.
In addition, as of October 22, 2013 the following companies expressed their interest in becoming mobile carriers as part of Canada's 2014 700 MHz spectrum auction by becoming provisional bidders: Feenix Wireless Inc, Catalyst Capital Group, Vecima Networks, Novus Wireless, and a numbered Alberta company controlled by Corridor Communications.[10]
Market share
Mobile networks
Operator | Technology | Frequency | Ownership | Roaming | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GSM |
CDMA | iDEN |
HSPA+ | LTE |
PCS |
SMR |
AWS | |||
Airtel Wireless | No | No | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | Airtel Wireless Ltd. | None |
Bell Mobility | No | Yes (shut down Jan 1, 2017) | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Bell Canada Enterprises | Telus Mobility |
Eastlink | Roaming[note 1] | No | No | Yes | Yes | Roaming[note 1] | No | Yes | Eastlink | Rogers Wireless / Bell Mobility |
Fleetcom | No | No | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | Fleetcom Inc. | None |
Ice Wireless | Yes | No | No | Yes | No | Yes | No | No | Ice Wireless | Rogers Wireless / Videotron |
Keewaytinook Mobile | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | Keewaytinook Okimakanak's (KO) Kuhkenah Network | Rogers Wireless |
Lynx Mobility | Yes | No | No | No | No | Yes | No | No | Lynx Mobility | Bell Mobility / Telus Mobility |
Mobilicity | Roaming[note 1] | No | No | Yes | No | Roaming[note 1] | No | Yes | Rogers Communications | Rogers Wireless |
MTS Mobility | No | Yes (shut down December 2016) | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | MTS | Rogers Wireless / Sasktel |
Rogers Wireless | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Rogers Communications | TBayTel / ICE Wireless / Bell Mobility / Telus Mobility |
SaskTel Mobility | No | Yes (shut down 2016) | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | SaskTel | Bell Mobility / Telus Mobility / MTS / Rogers Wireless |
Sogetel Mobilité | No | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes | No | No | Sogetel | Bell Mobility |
TBayTel Mobility | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | Thunder Bay Telephone | Rogers Wireless |
Telus Mobility | No | Yes (shut down 2016) | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes[note 2] | Yes | Telus Communications | Bell Mobility |
Vidéotron Mobile | Roaming[note 1] | No | No | Yes | Yes | Roaming[note 1] | No | Yes | Vidéotron | Rogers Wireless |
Wind Mobile | Roaming[note 1][note 3] | No | No | Yes | No[note 4] | Roaming[note 1][note 3] | No | Yes | Shaw Communications | Rogers Wireless / Telus Mobility / Bell Mobility |
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Videotron Mobile allow their customers to roam on Rogers Wireless' GSM technology and Personal Communications Service (PCS) frequency network. Roaming is intended to be used when one is outside of the AWS carrier's network coverage. Wind Mobile allow their customers to roam on Rogers' network as well as Bell Mobility and Telus Mobility. Eastlink Wireless also allows their customers to roam on Rogers Wireless' GSM 3G/4G network, as well as Bell's.
- ↑ Telus Mobility sells Integrated Digital Enhanced Network (iDEN) services using Specialized Mobile Radio (SMR) frequencies. Services are sold under the Mike brand, which is available in Telus retail stores and online.
- 1 2 Wind Mobile adds Telus Mobility as roaming partner, boasts 14% improvement in coverage.
- ↑ Wind Mobile confirmed to be testing basic 3GPP Long Term Evolution (LTE) technology on February 3, 2011. The operator has not yet deployed LTE for general public use.
Former mobile networks
This list includes legacy network terminations as well as defunct network operators.
Operator | Type | Ownership | Purchased by | Ceased operations | Fate |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bell Mobility | Ev-DO | Bell | N/A | July 1, 2015[11] | Complete CDMA shutdown planned prior to 2017[11] |
CityWest | CityWest | December 13, 2013 | Wireless services discontinued; mobile customers will be transitioned to Telus[12] | ||
Clearnet | CDMA | Clearnet Communications | Telus Mobility | 2000 | Network merged with Telus |
Dryden Municipal Telephone Service | GSM, CDMA | Dryden Municipal Telephone Service | Wireless sold to Tbaytel, Wireline to Bell Aliant | December 21, 2012 | Wireless customers migrated to Tbaytel[13] |
Fido | GSM | Microcell | Rogers Communications | November 8, 2004 | Network merged with Rogers; Fido operates as MVNO |
Kenora Municipal Telephone Service | CDMA | Kenora Municipal Telephone Service | Wireless sold to Bell Aliant | February 2008 & July 19th, 2015 | Wireless customers sold to Bell Aliant.[14] KMTS wireless subscribers moved to Bell Mobility.[15] |
Lynx Mobile | CDMA | Lynx Mobile | N/A | December 31, 2015 | CDMA network replaced by GSM Network[16] |
Mobilicity | AWS, HSPA+ | DAVE Wireless | Rogers Communications | 2015 | Rogers will sell Mobilicity's AWS spectrum to WIND Mobile |
NorthernTel Mobility | NorthernTel Mobility | Bell Aliant | July 19, 2015 | NorthernTel Mobility wireless subscribers moved to Bell Mobility.[17] | |
Northwestel | Northwestel | Bell Mobility | June 19, 2014 | Wireless services discontinued, sold to Bell Mobility.[18] | |
Public Mobile | CDMA with Ev-DO | Public Mobile | Telus Mobility | August 8, 2014[19] | MVNO on Telus HSPA+ network[19] |
Sasktel | Ev-DO | Sasktel | N/A | September 30, 2014[20] | Complete CDMA shutdown planned prior to 2017[20] |
Superior Wireless | CDMA | Superior Wireless | TBayTel | August 2006 | Merged with TBayTel[21] |
TBayTel | CDMA | TBayTel | N/A | December 31, 2014.[22] | |
Télébec Mobilité | Télébec Mobilité | Bell Aliant | July 19, 2015 | Télébec Mobilité wireless subscribers moved to Bell Mobility.[23] | |
Telus Mobility | Ev-DO | Telus | N/A | March 31, 2014[24] | |
Telus Mobility (Mike) | iDEN | Telus | N/A | January 29, 2016[25] | |
- This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by expanding it with reliably sourced entries.
Mobile virtual network operators (MVNO)
Operator | Ownership | Network provider |
---|---|---|
7-Eleven Speak Out Wireless | Ztar Mobile | Rogers |
Chatr | Rogers Communications | Rogers |
Cansel Connect | Cansel | Rogers (M2M) |
Cityfone | Rogers Communications | Rogers |
Clearnet | Telus Communications | Telus |
DCI Wireless | DCI Telecom | Rogers |
Execulink Mobility | Execulink Telecom | Bell |
Fido Solutions | Rogers Communications | Rogers |
good2go Mobile Canada | Ztar Mobile | Rogers |
Koodo Mobile | Telus Communications | Telus |
KORE Wireless | KORE Telematics | Rogers (M2M) |
Mike | Telus Communications | Telus |
Mobilicity | Rogers Communications | Rogers |
OnStar | OnStar | Bell (M2M) |
PC Mobile | Loblaws | Bell (prepaid) / Telus (postpaid) |
Petro-Canada Mobility | Ztar Mobile | Rogers |
Public Mobile | Telus Communications | Telus |
Solo Mobile | Bell Mobility | Bell |
Sugar Mobile | Ice Wireless | Ice Wireless |
Virgin Mobile Canada | Bell Mobility | Bell |
- This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by expanding it with reliably sourced entries.
Travel SIM Cards
Operator | Ownership | Network provider | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
AlwaysOnline Wireless | Otono | Various | A global data network for iPad owners on the go. AlwaysOnline Wireless is an on-demand 4G LTE service in over 45 countries with plans by the hour, by the day, or by the megabyte.[26] |
Brightroam | iRoam Mobile Solutions | Rogers | International SIM, offers Canadian and American numbers.[27] |
Know Roaming | Know Roaming | Various | Global SIM Sticker placed on existing SIM card.[28] |
Krew Mobile | Otono | Various | Offers American numbers for roaming in USA. Budget family plan.[29] |
ZIP SIM | Otono | T-Mobile USA | Offers American numbers.[30] |
Roam Mobility (USA) | Otono | T-Mobile USA | Offers American numbers for roaming in the USA and Mexico.[31][32] |
Roam Mobility (Canada) | Otono | Various | Offers Canadian numbers for roaming in Canada. SIM's expire after usage.[33] |
PhoneBox | PhoneBox | Rogers (postpaid) / Telus (postpaid) | Offers Canadian numbers. SIM's expire after usage.[34] |
- This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by expanding it with reliably sourced entries.
See also
- List of Canadian electric utilities
- List of Canadian telephone companies
- List of mobile network operators of the Americas#Canada
References
- ↑ "Rogers LTE Coverage (Q3 2015 report)" (PDF).
- ↑ "Rogers GSM/HSPA Coverage (2013 Industry Canada)" (PDF).
- ↑ "Telus Network Coverage (Q2 2015 report)" (PDF).
- ↑ "Bell Network Coverage".
- ↑ "Coverage". Wind Mobile. Retrieved 11 October 2014.
- ↑ "Shaw Communications Inc. to acquire WIND Mobile Corp.". Newsroom. Shaw Communications. Retrieved 17 December 2015.
- ↑ http://www.cwta.ca/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/SubscribersStats_en_2015_Q3.pdf
- ↑ http://www.cwta.ca/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/SubscribersStats_en_2015_Q3.pdf
- ↑ "Q3 2015 Subscriber Stats" (PDF). CWTA. Retrieved 2015.
- ↑ Solomon (2013-10-22). "Provisional bidders for 700 MHz spectrum finalized". IT World Canada News. Retrieved 2013-10-23.
- 1 2 Bell lays out plan to shutter its CDMA network by January 1st, 2017
- ↑
- ↑ "DMTS Notice to Customers " Dryden Municipal Telephone System". Dryden Municipal Telephone System. Retrieved 2015-10-21.
- ↑ http://www.bce.ca/news-and-media/releases/show/city-of-kenora-unanimously-approves-bell-aliant-offer-to-purchase-kenora-municipal-telephone-system-for-27-million
- ↑ http://kmts.ca/personal/kmts-mobility-service/
- ↑ Lynx Mobility
- ↑ http://support.bell.ca/Mobility/NorthernTel-Mobility-and-Telebec-Migration
- ↑ http://www.bce.ca/news-and-media/releases/show/northwestel-wireless-moves-to-bell-mobility
- 1 2 Our new 4G network is ready
- 1 2 SaskTel Turning Down EV-DO Data Service
- ↑ http://media.knet.ca/node/2187
- ↑ Tbaytel tells customers to upgrade older cell phones
- ↑ https://www.telebec.com/english/magasinage_ligne/asp/mobilite/transfert_bell.asp/
- ↑ TELUS aims to shut down its CDMA network in 2015
- ↑ Important Service Notice: Mike is retiring
- ↑ https://otono.com/brands
- ↑ http://www.brightroam.com/default.aspx
- ↑ https://www.knowroaming.com/
- ↑ https://otono.com/brands
- ↑ https://www.zipsim.us/
- ↑ https://www.roammobility.com/plans
- ↑ https://www.roammobility.com/mexico-roaming-plans
- ↑ https://roammobility.ca/plans
- ↑ https://gophonebox.com/
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