Telecom market stable despite challenges, CRTC study finds

The Canadian telecom market is facing challenges but the overall picture is strong, a new survey by the CRTC finds. “Telecommunications–especially high-speed internet and cellphone services–have never been as central to Canadians’ daily lives and livelihoods as they are now,” reads the commission’s second annual Canadian Telecommunications Market Report, released on Feb. 24. “Canadian telecommunications networks have never been as extensive or advanced as they are today.” The report includes market, investment, and other economic data from the previous year. According to the commission, the report is designed to “support the CRTC, industry stakeholders, and the public in better understanding how Canada’s telecommunications markets are serving Canadians, and to monitor the impact of related policies and regulations.” While the consumer price index (CPI) has increased by 19 per cent since 2021, prices for telecom services have declined. Internet prices fell by six per cent and cellphone costs dropped by almost 40 per cent, the commission stated. “Yet, depending on their income level, Canadians have been devoting more of their household spending to telecommunications services, as they opt for faster internet speeds and cellphone plans with more data,” the report continues. The survey notes that revenue and subscriber growth are slowing and could remain flat, despite population increases, which has led to telecom companies moderating their investment in networks. The CRTC said it has strengthened competition by allowing competitors to access incumbent telecoms’ networks. It also hailed its work in tandem with Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED), both of which have funded the expansion of fibre networks. Total revenues for telecommunication services in 2024 were $59.6 billion, unchanged from a year earlier. Most of that total was in mobile telephony, which earned $33.4 billion, an increase of 2.1 per cent. Fixed internet grew by 0.1 per cent to $16.7 billion. All other sectors registered decreases from 2023, as local and access fell 4.8 per cent to $4.9 billion, while data was at $2.7 billion, a decline of 8.3 per cent. Long distance plummeted 11.4 per cent to $0.9 billion with private lines at $0.8 billion, a decrease of 8.6 per cent. Retail revenues in 2024 were $55.4 billion, a fall from 2023’s $55.5 billion. Wholesale revenue increased to $4.2 billion, up from $4.1 billion a year earlier. Meanwhile, capital expenditures (capex) continue to go down. Total capex by all firms was $11.4 billion in 2020, $13.2 billion the next year, peaking at $13.8 billion in 2022. The number fell to $13.3 billion in 2023 and $12.7 billion in 2024. Singling out wireless capex, the numbers grew from $2.9 billion in 2020, $3.7 billion in 2021 and $3.8 billion in 2022. For 2023 and 2024, capex was constant at $3.6 billion. The CRTC and ISED both fund broadband expansion through the Broadband Fund and the Universal Broadband Fund, respectively. At the start of 2022, the pair granted $269 million for network deployment. A year later, $551 million was released. By 2024, $1.17 billion was spent, while, at the start of 2025, the two funding agencies issued $1.43 billion. Nationally, speeds of 50 megabytes per second (Mbps) download and 10 Mbps upload are available to 96.4 per cent of the population. Rural connectivity was at 83 per cent, territorial linkups were at 69.6 per cent, and First Nations reserves only had 65.7 per cent connectivity. The percentage of homes covered by a fibre network is 71.7 per cent nationally, though that figure falls to 45.2 per cent in rural areas. Fixed wireless access and satellite coverage was at 6.5 per cent in 2020, 6.8 per cent in the next two years, 7.3 per cent in 2023 and 7.5 per cent in 2024. Asked by Ipsos Research if they can count on reliable high-speed networks in their area, 59.5 per cent of respondents said ‘yes’ in the spring of 2025, although that number is only 53.8 per cent in rural districts. In the same time frame, 13.9 per cent of national respondents said they had experienced an outage of 24 hours or more. Average revenue per user (ARPU) is remaining constant. For 2020, it was $63.14 on average, jumping to $66.99 in 2021. A year later, ARPU was $68.11, peaking at $69.94 in 2023. For 2024, the figure was $67.39. The Canadian Telecommunications Association (CTA) is pleased with the results. In an email to The Wire Report, it notes that investment is up while prices are down and public opinion polling shows Canadians are noticing. “At the same time, the report makes clear that the industry is at an inflection point,” says the CTA. “As population and market growth slow, it is more important than ever that policymakers strike the right balance: ensuring choice and affordability for Canadians while creating the conditions necessary for sustained private-sector investment in network expansion, resiliency, and innovation.” ppark@thewirereport.ca

Telecom market stable despite challenges, CRTC study finds

Telecom |
By Paul Park
|February 25, 2026

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Telecom market stable despite challenges, CRTC study finds

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|February 25, 2026