The Best Canadian Broadband ISPs

The Best Canadian Broadband ISPs

PC Mag has categorized providers into two divisions for clarity. The first category is "Major ISPs," comprising well-known, nationwide internet providers with broad reach and ownership of their last-mile infrastructure. To be included in this category, an ISP must have accumulated at least 1,000 Speed Test results. The second category, "All ISPs," includes all other providers with a minimum of 100 Speed Test results in the past year. These providers might range from small, local operators to larger entities, thanks to Canada's Third Party Internet Access (TPIA) laws.

TPIA regulations allow independent ISPs to lease lines from major ISPs at wholesale rates, granting them access to a wide customer base without having to build the entire last-mile infrastructure themselves. This is why some independent ISPs may appear in the rankings with coverage exceeding that of dominant ISPs. For instance, TekSavvy, a major independent ISP, boasts an 84% coverage percentage, surpassing Bell Canada, Telus, Rogers, and others. These dominant companies lease lines to TekSavvy, along with Cogeco, Shaw, and Videotron. Additionally, TekSavvy operates its fiber network and serves fixed-wireless customers.

Coverage percentage in Canada is a complex metric, making competition multifaceted. Nevertheless, it doesn't deter a dominant ISP from clinching the top spot among major ISPs and across all ISPs. In this year's evaluation, Bell Canada emerged as the leader.

Bell Canada has previously secured the title of Fastest ISP, as has its subsidiary, Bell Aliant. While Telus claimed the honor for the last three years, Bell has returned to the top spot with the new methodology, which considers factors beyond just speed. Bell's success is attributed to its fiber-based broadband service, which offers an ideal combination of speed, coverage, pricing, and customer satisfaction.

Dominant ISPs like Bell, Telus, and Rogers hold a significant advantage: they offer their highest-price tier services at considerably lower rates than other providers. This exceptional pricing strategy earned each of them a perfect score of 10 for the price index. Among these, Bell stands out with its extensive coverage, competing favorably with TPIA providers.

Taking a closer look at the chart, it's evident that only one ISP earns a perfect speed index rating of 10—Telus, recognized for its PureFibre service. In terms of the PCMag Speed Index, which underpins the 1-to-10 scale, Telus leads the pack with an impressive score of 270.6, surpassing Bell's 239.1. Consequently, Telus secures the title of the fastest major ISP in the nation.

However, the major ISPs represent a relatively small group of 23 providers. To truly determine the best ISP in Canada, PC Mag expands its evaluation to include every ISP in the country, as long as they have received a minimum of 100 responses on the PCMag Speed Test. Even with this comprehensive analysis, considering all sizes of ISPs, Bell Canada emerges as the top choice nationwide based on the new methodology.