Canada
Opensignal is the independent global standard for analyzing consumers' connectivity experiences. Our industry reports are the definitive guide to understanding what happens when people use their mobile and broadband connections in their daily life.
Canada
Opensignal is the independent global standard for analyzing consumers' connectivity experiences. Our industry reports are the definitive guide to understanding what happens when people use their mobile and broadband connections in their daily life.
Key Findings
Rogers comes top for 5G Availability
Rogers comes top in 5G Availability — the proportion of time 5G users connect to an active 5G signal — with a score of 9.9%, ahead of Bell and Telus.
Telus and Bell are joint winners for 5G Coverage Experience
Bell and Telus place first for 5G Coverage Experience with identical scores of 5.1 points (on a 10-point scale). Unlike 5G Availability, 5G Coverage Experience measures the geographical extent of the 5G network in the places people live, work and travel.
Rogers wins 5G Video and 5G Games Experience for the second time in a row
When streaming on-demand video and playing multiplayer mobile games over 5G, our Rogers users continue to have the best experience. Rogers rates Very Good (68-78) for 5G Video Experience and Excellent (85 or above) for 5G Games Experience.
Bell holds on to the Download Speed Experience award
Our Bell users continue to observe the fastest average 5G download speeds in Canada, this time clocking up 196.2Mbps — 16% faster than second-placed Telus. Compared to the preceding August 2023 report, Bell’s and Telus’ 5G Download Speed scores have increased by a significant 12.9-14.5%, while Rogers’s score improved by 2.5%.
5G Experience Awards
Market Overview
Opensignal's latest analysis on Canada shows that Rogers continues to dominate the 5G experience landscape in the country. Rogers is the outright winner in 5G Availability, 5G Upload Speed, 5G Video Experience and 5G Games Experience.
Our users across all three carriers have seen increases in average 5G download speeds across the board. Compared to the previous report, average 5G download speeds are up by 22.5Mbps (12.9%) on Bell, by 21.4Mbps (14.5%) on Telus, and by a modest 3.9Mbps (2.5%) on Rogers. As a result, Bell continues to lead in the 5G Download Speed category.
Bell and Telus share the podium for 5G Coverage Experience, which measures the extent of 5G networks in the places people live, work and travel.
Canada has been struggling in the global 5G race due to insufficient mid-band spectrum, as per our previous analyses. To tackle this, Canada’s Ministry of Innovation, Science & Economic Development Canada (ISED) recently auctioned 5G spectrum in the 3800MHz band, resulting in 4,099 licenses awarded to 20 bidders, this includes 870 licenses to small and regional providers who have doubled their 5G spectrum holdings since the previous 3500MHz auction of 2021. In the future, as operators roll out the new spectrum, it will be interesting to see how Canada’s 5G experience evolves.
In this report, we examine the 5G experience of the three main mobile network operators in Canada — Telus, Bell, and Rogers — over a period of 90 days starting on October 01, 2023, and ending on December 29, 2023, to see how they fared. Along with our national analysis, we've also examined our users' mobile network experience across Canada's major provinces to see how regional carriers such as Quebec's Videotron, Ontario's Freedom Mobile or Saskatchewan's SaskTel compare in their service areas. We have also published a companion report that analyzes the overall experience of users, i.e., when they are connected to all network access technologies in Canada.
5G Experience
National Analysis
Rogers wins the 5G Video Experience award again. Its winning 5G score of 76.4 points is higher than its overall Video Experience score of 69.2 points (on 100-point scales) but remains in the Very Good (68-78) category. Bell and Telus also rate Very Good with 5G, one rating higher than the Good they fared for overall Video Experience.
5G Video Experience scores account for adaptive bitrate streaming (ABR), a technology that allows Opensignal to accurately represent users' real video experience including video streams up to 4K quality.
A Very Good (68-78) rating means that our users are, on average, able to stream video at 1080p or better with satisfactory loading times and little stalling.
Definitions
5G Video Experience quantifies the quality of mobile video experienced by Opensignal users on real-world video streams when they were connected to 5G. The metric is based on an International Telecommunication Union (ITU) approach, built upon detailed studies which have derived a relationship between technical parameters, including picture quality, video loading time and stall rate, with the perceived video experience as reported by real people. To calculate 5G Video Experience, we are directly measuring video streams from end-user devices and using this ITU approach to quantify the video experience observed by our users on each operator’s 5G network on a scale from 0 to 100. The videos tested include a mixture of resolutions — including Full HD (FHD) and 4K / Ultra HD (UHD) — and are streamed directly from the world’s largest video content providers.
National Analysis
Telus and Rogers are top for 5G Live Video Experience with identical scores of 72.2 points on a 100-point scale, around 9.7 points over Bell’s score of 62.5 points.
All operators place in the Excellent (58 or above) category. An Excellent (58 or above) rating means that our users are, on average, able to stream video at least at 1080p with low loading times, little stalling and a satisfactory live offset.
Operators’ 5G Live Video Experience scores are determined using a range of measures that impact users’ perceived live streaming viewing experience, including picture quality, video loading time, and stall rate, but also live playback offset — the time difference between real-time and the current playback position a viewer sees.
Definitions
Opensignal’s Live Video Experience quantifies the quality of real-time video streamed to mobile devices by measuring video streams over an operator's network. The metric extends the existing International Telecommunication Union (ITU) approach used for Opensignal's on-demand Video Experience metric, built upon detailed studies which have derived a relationship between technical parameters, including live playback offset, picture quality, video loading time and stall rate, with the perceived live video experience as reported by real people. To calculate live video experience, we are directly measuring live video streams from end-user devices and using this extension of ITU's approach to quantify the overall live video experience for each operator on a scale from 0 to 100. The videos tested include a mixture of resolutions and are streamed directly from the world’s largest video content providers.
5G Live Video Experience quantifies the quality of mobile video experienced by Opensignal users on real-world live video streams when they were connected to 5G.
National Analysis
Rogers comes first in 5G Games Experience with a score of 86.2 points on a 100-point scale – around 1.2 points higher than Telus and Bell, which place in second with their statistically tied scores of 84.6-85.4 points.
Bell's score has increased by 2.5 points. Telus' score has increased by 1.4 points. Rogers' score hasn't changed a significant amount since the previous report. Telus and Rogers place in the Excellent (85 or above) category, while Bell places one category lower in Good (75-85).
An Excellent (85 or above) rating means that the vast majority of users deem this network experience acceptable. Nearly all users feel like they have control over the game, and they receive immediate feedback on their actions. There is not a noticeable delay in almost all cases.
Definitions
5G Games Experience measures how mobile users experience real-time multiplayer mobile gaming on an operator's 5G network. It analyzes how our users’ multiplayer mobile gaming experience was affected by mobile network conditions including latency, packet loss and jitter. 5G Games Experience for each operator is calculated on a scale from 0 to 100.
5G Games Experience quantifies the experience when playing real-time multiplayer mobile games on mobile devices connected to servers located around the world. The approach is built on several years of research quantifying the relationship between technical network parameters and the gaming experience as reported by real mobile users. These parameters include latency (round trip time), jitter (variability of latency) and packet loss (the proportion of data packets that never reach their destination). Additionally, it considers multiple genres of multiplayer mobile games to measure the average sensitivity to network conditions. The games tested include some of the most popular real-time multiplayer mobile games (such as Fortnite, Pro Evolution Soccer and Arena of Valor) played around the world. Calculating 5G Games Experience starts with measuring the end-to-end experience from users’ devices to internet end-points that host real games.
National Analysis
Since the last report, our Bell users have seen the biggest boost in their average 5G download speeds — an increase of 22.5Mbps (12.9%) — followed by those on Telus and Rogers with improvements of 21.4Mbps (14.5%) and 3.9Mbps (2.5%), respectively. As a result, Bell wins the 5G Download Speed award outright with a score of 196.2Mbps and leads over Telus by 27Mbps. Rogers comes third with a score of 158.6Mbps.
Definitions
5G Download Speed shows the average download speed experienced by Opensignal users across an operator’s 5G network. 5G Download Speed for each operator is calculated in Mbps (Megabits per second).
National Analysis
Our users on Rogers enjoy the fastest 5G upload speeds in Canada, 31.6Mbps on average and around 7.3Mbps (29.9%) faster than Telus and Bell, which place in second with their statistically tied scores of 24.2-24.4Mbps.
Compared to the last report, Bell's score has increased by 2.6Mbps (11.9%). Telus' score has increased by 2Mbps (9.1%), while Rogers' score hasn't changed by a statistically significant amount.
Definitions
5G Upload Speed measures the average upload speeds experienced by Opensignal users across an operator’s 5G network. 5G Upload Speed for each operator is calculated in Mbps (Megabits per second).
Regional Analysis
Opensignal has looked at 5G experience across seven individual regions on Canada's three national carriers — Bell, Rogers and Telus — and on regional carriers such as Videotron SaskTel, and Freedom Mobile.
Starting with regional 5G Video Experience, Rogers takes home the biggest haul of awards, placing top in five out of seven regions, either jointly or outright. Telus and Videotron are the outright winners in one region each – Manitoba and Ontario, respectively.
Rogers and Telus are joint winners for 5G Live video experience in five out of seven regions, including British Columbia, where Freedom Mobile is a joint winner. In Quebec, Rogers and Videotron are top.
In 5G Games Experience, Rogers leads in Ontario and Quebec, while Telus is the outright winner in Manitoba. Meanwhile, Bell, Rogers and Telus are joint top in four regions — Alberta, Atlantic provinces and British Columbia — including Saskatchewan, where SaskTel is a joint-winner of 5G Games Experience.
Bell dominates the regional 5G Download Speed analysis, winning outright in Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec. Bell is also joint winner of the 5G Upload Speed award alongside Telus in Atlantic Provinces and in Saskatchewan, where it is joint top alongside Rogers, SaskTel and Telus.
For regional 5G Upload Speed, Rogers reigns superior, winning in five regions outright. In the remaining two regions, Bell solely leads in Saskatchewan and jointly leads alongside Telus in Manitoba.
Regional Analysis Summary: Canada, 5G Experience Report, February 2024
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Coverage
National Analysis
Telus and Bell win the 5G Coverage Experience award jointly with identical scores of 5.1 points on a 10-point scale and a lead of around 1.8 points over Rogers, which places in third with its score of 3.4 points.
Compared to the August 2023 report, all three operators’ scores have increased by 0.3 points.
Definitions
The Opensignal Coverage Experience metric measures the extent of mobile networks in the places people live, work and travel. The metric represents the experience users receive as they travel around areas where they would reasonably expect to find coverage.
Traditional coverage metrics typically estimate either a percentage of land area covered, or a percentage of population covered; often neither will be an accurate measurement of the true user expectation and experience. In many markets there are areas where neither population density nor geographic area reflect the importance of coverage to users. For example, in a large mountain range most users will not expect coverage in the wilderness, but poor coverage in the relatively small area of a ski resort is critical for the enjoyment of a holiday. Estimates based purely on population give undue significance to coverage in the most densely populated areas.
Coverage Experience measures geographic coverage of populated areas and therefore more accurately reflects the coverage expectations and experience of typical users. It can give a result that is somewhat different to traditional estimates based on either geographic or population measures. The metric uses a scale from 0 to 10.
5G Coverage Experience shows the proportion of places Opensignal users with a 5G device and a 5G subscription had an active 5G connection.
National Analysis
Opensignal's 5G Availability compares the amount of time our 5G users spend with an active 5G connection — the higher the percentage, the more time users on a network spend connected to 5G. Rogers wins the 5G Availability award outright with a score of 9.9% and a lead of around 1.3 percentage points over Telus and Bell, which place in second with their statistically tied scores of 8.5-8.7%.
Definitions
Our availability metrics are not a measure of a network’s geographical extent. They won’t tell you whether you are likely to get a signal if you plan to visit a remote rural or nearly uninhabited region. Instead, they measure what proportion of time people have a network connection, in the places they most commonly frequent — something often missed by traditional coverage metrics. Looking at when users have a connection rather than where, provides us with a more precise reflection of the true user experience.
We also keep track of the instances that leave mobile users most frustrated: when there is no signal to connect to at all. The most common dead zones users struggle with occur indoors. As most of our availability data is collected indoors (as that’s where users spend most of their time), we’re particularly astute at detecting areas of zero signal.
Our availability metrics take a user-centric, time-based approach that complements the user-centric and geographical-based methodology used by our reach metrics.
5G Availability shows the proportion of time Opensignal users with a 5G device and a 5G subscription had an active 5G connection.
Regional Analysis
Looking at the regional 5G Availability, Rogers solely leads in Alberta, Atlantic provinces and British Columbia. Furthermore, Rogers comes joint-top in the remaining four. Meanwhile, 5G users across Freedom, Rogers, and Telus in Ontario do not see a statistically significant difference in the proportion of time they spend with an active 5G signal, while this is the case in Manitoba and Quebec, where Bell and Rogers are joint winners.
Regional Analysis Summary: Canada, 5G Experience Report, February 2024
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A-I
- Alberta
- Atlantic provinces
- British Columbia
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J-R
- Manitoba
- Ontario
- Quebec
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S-Z
- Saskatchewan
in Alberta
in Atlantic provinces
in British Columbia
in Manitoba
in Ontario
in Quebec
in Saskatchewan
Related Analysis
Our Methodology
Collecting billions of individual measurements daily from over 100 million devices globally, Opensignal independently analyzes mobile and broadband user experience on every major network operator around the globe.
About Opensignal
Opensignal is the leading global provider of independent insights into consumers' connectivity experiences and choice of carrier. Our proprietary insights into mobile and broadband networks give operators the solutions they need to profitably compete and win, from executive level scorecards and public validation to pin-point level engineering analytics and consumer decision dynamics.
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Confidence Intervals
For every metric we calculate statistical confidence intervals indicated on our graphs. When confidence intervals overlap, our measured results are too close to declare a winner. In those cases, we show a statistical draw. For this reason, some metrics have multiple operator winners.
In our bar graphs we represent confidence intervals as boundaries on either sides of graph bars.
In our supporting-metric charts we show confidence intervals as +/- numerical values.
Why confidence intervals are vital in analyzing mobile network experience