List of Canadian mobile phone companies
This is a list of mobile telephony providers in Canada.
As of Q3 2016, there are over 30 million wireless subscriptions in Canada. Approximately 90% of Canadian mobile phone users subscribe to one of the three largest national telecommunication companies or one of their subsidiary brands. These three 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, and resellers. 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.
All wireless service providers in Canada are regulated by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, 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.
Mobile network operators
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.This list is ordered from largest to smallest by the number of current subscriptions.
Mobile networks
Mobile virtual network operators (MVNO) and resellers
Push-to-talk networks
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 | CDMA | Bell | April 30th, 2019 | ||
CityWest | CityWest | December 13, 2013 | Wireless services discontinued; mobile customers will be transitioned to Telus | ||
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 |
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 19, 2015 | Wireless customers sold to Bell Aliant. KMTS wireless subscribers moved to Bell Mobility. |
Lynx Mobile | CDMA | Lynx Mobile | December 31, 2015 | CDMA network replaced by GSM Network | |
Mobilicity | AWS, HSPA+ | DAVE Wireless | Rogers Communications | 2015 | Rogers will transition some Mobilicity retail locations and all its customers to Rogers sub-brand Chatr Mobile. As of August 16, 2016, Rogers will stop activating new Mobilicity lines. |
MTS Mobility | HSPA+ | Manitoba Telecom Services | Bell Mobility | 2016 | |
NorthernTel Mobility | NorthernTel Mobility | Bell Aliant | July 19, 2015 | NorthernTel Mobility wireless subscribers moved to Bell Mobility. | |
Northwestel | Northwestel | Bell Mobility | June 19, 2014 | Wireless services discontinued, sold to Bell Mobility. | |
Public Mobile | CDMA with Ev-DO | Public Mobile | Telus Mobility | August 8, 2014 | Telus MVNO |
SaskTel | CDMA | SaskTel | July 5, 2017 | CDMA network's EVDO support ended on September 30, 2014 | |
Superior Wireless | CDMA | Superior Wireless | TBayTel | August 2006 | Merged with TBayTel |
Tbaytel | CDMA | Tbaytel | December 31, 2014. | ||
Télébec Mobilité | Télébec Mobilité | Bell Aliant | July 19, 2015 | Télébec Mobilité wireless subscribers moved to Bell Mobility. | |
Telus Mobility | CDMA | Telus | May 31, 2017 | ||
Telus Mobility | iDEN | Telus | January 29, 2016 | ||
Mike | iDEN over SMR | Telus | January 29, 2016 |