Provinces and territories call for improved mobile coverage reporting, as telcos push back

Wireless companies are opposing a new standard for mobile data reporting, though provincial and territorial governments say changes are necessary to fill coverage gaps across the country. In January, the CRTC launched a consultation to address what it described as the difference in mobile coverage reportedly provided by telcos and the experience of consumers in Canada. According to the commission, which annually collects predictive coverage data submitted by telecommunications service providers (TSPs), 99.5 per cent of Canadians have access to mobile service, though public opinion research suggests many cell phone users still feel coverage is spotty. “There are no standard definitions or agreed-upon methodologies for generating the coverage predictions,” wrote the regulator. “This lack of standardization can complicate efforts by the Commission and ISED to validate the data submitted and the coverage maps.” As such, the CRTC is considering introducing a new industry standard for data reporting, which could force TSPs to provide more accurate data that reflects the quality of user experience. But some of the country’s largest telecoms companies don’t think improvements are necessary. “The Commission has not demonstrated how introducing new standards for mapping wireless coverage will close gaps,” read a submission from BCE Inc. subsidiary Bell Mobility. “Implementing new standards for mobile coverage reporting without identifying issues with the existing methods and practices is at odds with the objective of reducing regulatory burden.” Bell suggested Canadians can experience poor service delivery, despite strong network coverage, as a result of “numerous factors,” including weather, foliage, seasonal changes, and network capacity. “A rigid prescriptive approach is unnecessary,” wrote the company. “The Commission should continue to allow MNOs (mobile network operators) to provide mobile network coverage representing network availability, based on their internal benchmarks using standardized file types and resolution.” Cogeco Communications Inc. also said the CRTC hadn’t “justified” a need for new standards, while Rogers Communications Inc., Telus Corp., and the Canadian Telecommunications Association cautioned against “overly prescriptive” rules for companies. In particular, Rogers said any new policy should be grounded in predictive modelling, as opposed to “data throughput,” which depends on real-time metrics. “We acknowledge the importance of reflecting user experience, accurately predicting data throughput… is not feasible at a national scale due to the complexity and variability of real‑world factors such as spectrum band availability, traffic loading, interference, device capability, and environmental conditions,” wrote Rogers. Transitioning toward throughput-based reporting was explored in a 2024 report published by the Communications Research Centre, a division of Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED), which determined the metric is “easier to use,” but “more difficult to measure .” Ultimately, the report recommended that a new standard be founded on “received signal power,” which must be converted into data throughput, because it is “more commonly used” and “relatively easy to calculate and measure in the field.” In addition to major telcos, smaller carriers like TBayTel Inc., Iristel Inc., and Every-Day Computers Inc., said excessive requirements could create needless regulatory burdens and added costs for companies. Telus also suggested TSPs could instead disclose data collecting methods, which is already required in countries like the U.K., in an effort to improve transparency. However, public officials from various levels of government submitted that current modeling practices have not sufficiently mapped coverage areas, meaning more stringent requirements are needed to close the digital divide. In its commentary, the Northwest Territories government called for the CRTC to “adopt indicators and thresholds for its Mobile Reporting Standard.” On behalf of Nova Scotia’s government, David Benoit, CEO of the Crown corporation Build Nova Scotia, said the proposed guidelines “set a proven service level for customers and help ensure adequate signal strength, reliable access to emergency services and prioritization of emergency calls across all service provider networks.” “Nova Scotians and Canadians deserve accurate information, transparent reporting, service providers held to clear and enforceable standards, and reliable mobile services that close coverage gaps and connect unserved communities,” wrote Benoit. The Yukon, Alberta, B.C., P.E.I., and New Brunswick all provided comments on the proposal, and each jurisdiction endorsed a strengthened mobile reporting standard. “New Brunswick has advocated for improved carrier reporting as well as improving consumer access to real-world cellular coverage data for many years,” wrote Travis Bergin, the province’s deputy minister for finance. “New Brunswick recognized the discrepancy between what cell coverage should be—according to carriers—and what cell coverage was—the consumers’ experience.” The Assembly of First Nations, as well as municipal leaders in Ontario, Alberta, and Quebec, also supported the initiative. “Current wireless coverage maps frequently rely on predictive modelling that does not adequately account for terrain, forest canopy, and localized geographic conditions common in rural municipalities,” submitted the Township of North Kawartha, Ont. “As a result, coverage is often reported in areas where residents and visitors experience unreliable service or no connectivity.” “Improved coverage reporting will help federal and provincial governments identify connectivity gaps more accurately and support better policy and infrastructure investment decisions that benefit rural communities.” The deadline for interested parties to respond to submissions is April 15. There is no timeline for a final CRTC decision on a new mobile reporting standard. dlegree@thewirereport.ca

Provinces and territories call for improved mobile coverage reporting, as telcos push back

Telecom |
By Davis Legree
|April 7, 2026

Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need.

FREE TRIAL

SUBSCRIBE

Inside The Wire Report

Information

Hill Times Publishing

Get in Touch With Us

Provinces and territories call for improved mobile coverage reporting, as telcos push back

Telecom | By Davis Legree |April 7, 2026

Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need.

FREE TRIAL

SUBSCRIBE

Telesat-Northwestel partnership to bring high-speed internet to every Nunavut community by 2029

Friend or foe? Satellite companies pitch ISPs on partnerships, while Starlink and Amazon loom

‘I wouldn’t fight the speed war’: Independent ISPs strategize on how to compete with big telcos at CanWISP

Related Stories

CRTC consulting on numbering usage as telephone numbers dwindle

CRTC sides with Bell in Iristel dispute over central office routing

CRTC commissioner teases future proceedings on shift away from traditional telephone network

CRTC approves Quebec screen industry groups to receive Online Streaming Act contributions

Reuse & Permissions

Inside The Wire Report

Information

Hill Times Publishing

Get in Touch With Us

Telecom |
By Davis Legree
|April 7, 2026