Canada
Opensignal is the independent global standard for analyzing consumer mobile experience. Our industry reports are the definitive guide to understanding the true experience consumers receive on wireless networks.
Canada
Opensignal is the independent global standard for analyzing consumer mobile experience. Our industry reports are the definitive guide to understanding the true experience consumers receive on wireless networks.
Key Findings
Telus is top for 5G Video Experience
Canadian users continue to enjoy the best videostreaming experience over 5G networks with Telus. As a result, Telus wins the 5G Video Experience award for the second time in a row by scoring 75.1 points on a 100-point scale, giving it a lead of around 1.2 points over Bell and Rogers, which share second place with statistically tied scores of 73.8-74.1 points. All three operators place in the Very Good (68-78) category.
Bell wins 5G Download Speed outright
With 5G download speeds averaging 158.7Mbps, Bell users have the fastest average 5G Download Speed in Canada — 14.8% faster than second-placed Telus and 21.5% faster than last-placed Rogers. However, our Rogers users saw the largest improvement in their 5G Download Speed, an increase of 32.6Mbps (33.2%) since the last report.
Telus draws level with Rogers for 5G Games Experience, but all three national operators’ scores have improved
In the previous report, Rogers was the sole winner of the 5G Games Experience award, but since then the quality of mobile multiplayer gaming experience over 5G has improved on all three carriers. The 5G Games Experience of Bell and Telus users improved by 10.7-11.2%, while Rogers’ users reported an upswing of 8.8%. As a result, Telus and Rogers are now joint winners of the 5G Games Experience award.
Our Rogers users see the fastest 5G upload speeds in Canada
Rogers continues to hold onto the 5G Upload Speed award with a firm grip. In fact, its lead is up from the previous report. It wins this time with a score of 29.9Mbps — around 8Mbps ahead of Bell and Telus, which are still statistically tied for second place. This is up from the lead of around 5.8Mbps seen last time around. This is because our users on Rogers have seen the largest increase in average 5G upload speeds compared with those in the last report — of 5.7Mbps — followed by those on Telus (3.6Mbps) and Bell (3.4Mbps).
Bell and Telus close the gap with Rogers to jointly win 5G Reach and all three operators share the 5G Availability award
All three carriers are statistically tied for the 5G Reach award with identical scores of 5.2 points (on a 10-point scale) this time. However, in the last report Rogers won the award outright. Since then, Bell and Telus users have seen the proportion of locations where they see a 5G signal increase, with their carriers’ 5G Reach scores improving by 0.3-0.4 points. Likewise, Bell, Telus and Rogers are also joint winners on 5G Availability, with 5G users spending 11.5-12% time with an active 5G connection — a change from the previous report when Rogers was the sole winner.
5G Experience Awards
Market Overview
In Opensignal’s latest look at 5G in Canada, Bell and Telus have narrowed the gap between them and Rogers in terms of 5G Reach, while a drop in Rogers’ 5G Availability score has brought it into line with its rivals. In the last report, Rogers won the 5G Availability and 5G Reach awards outright, however this time all three carriers — Bell, Rogers and Telus — are joint winners in both these categories.
Looking across the awards table, Telus and Rogers both win one award outright and are joint winners in four categories. Bell’s haul is smaller, as it has one solo victory and two joint wins to its name this time around. Telus remains the outright winner for 5G Video Experience and jointly wins the 5G Games Experience and 5G Voice App Experience awards alongside Rogers. On the other hand Bell is top in terms of 5G Download Speed, while Rogers continues to lead the pack on 5G Upload Speed.
In other 5G news, the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry recently announced the results of the Residual Spectrum licence auction in the 600MHz, 2500MHz and 3500MHz frequency bands. Further, Canada aims to auction 250MHz of C-band spectrum (3800MHz) between 3650 and 3900MHz, in October 2023. Together with the existing spectrum in the 3.5GHz band, this will help Canadian carriers boost capacity on their 5G networks and accelerate the 5G experience in the country.
In this report, we analyze our users' 5G experience in Canada on all three national carriers — Bell, Rogers and Telus —over a period of 90 days starting on October 1, 2022 and ending on December 29, 2022, to see how they fared. Additionally, we analyze how the 5G experience varies across major provinces, and compare the national carriers against regional carriers that only operate in some provinces.
We have published a companion Canada Mobile Network Experience report which analyzes the overall experience in Canada across all generations of network technology.
5G Experience
National Analysis
Our Telus users continue to enjoy the best experience when streaming mobile video over 5G connections. Therefore, Telus is the outright winner of Opensignal’s 5G Video Experience award for the second time in a row, this time with a score of 75.1 points — giving it a lead of around 1.2 points over Bell and Rogers.
With these scores all three carriers place in the Very Good (68-78) category. A Very Good rating means 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 joint winners of the 5G Games Experience award. This is a change from the previous report in August 2022, when Rogers won the award outright. Telus and Rogers are statistically tied this time with scores of 84.4-85.2 points on a 100-point scale. This change has been triggered by a 10.7% improvement in Telus’ score compared to an 8.8% increase seen in Rogers’. In fact, the 5G Games Experience in Canada has improved across the board, with Bell users reporting the biggest boost of 11.2%.
The 5G Games Experience scores of all three operators are 12.1-17 points higher, respectively, than those for Games Experience, highlighting the uplift in gaming experience users can enjoy when connected to 5G in Canada.
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
Rogers and Telus continue to be joint winners of the 5G Voice App Experience award with identical scores of 82.4 points (on a 100-point scale). However, the quality of experience while using over-the-top voice apps over 5G has improved significantly across all three carriers — by 3-3.2% — since the last report. With these improvements the 5G Voice App Experience ratings of all three carriers has upgraded from Acceptable (74-80) to Good (80-87).
A Good Voice App Experience means many users are satisfied. However, some users experience minor quality impairments.
Definitions
5G Voice App Experience quantifies the experience of Opensignal users when using over-the-top voice apps — such as WhatsApp, Skype and Facebook Messenger — on an operator’s 5G network. It uses a model derived from the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) approach for quantifying overall voice call quality and a series of calibrated technical parameters. This model characterizes the exact relationship between the technical measurements and perceived call quality. 5G Voice App Experience for each operator is calculated on a scale from 0 to 100.
National Analysis
Bell has a firm grip on the 5G Download Speed award. Our users on its 5G network observe average speeds of 158.7Mbps — 14.8-21.5% faster than Rogers and Telus. Since the last report, the 5G Download Speed on Bell has improved by a noteworthy 22.3Mbps (16.3%). However, our Rogers users reported the greatest improvement of 32.6Mbps (33.2%) on 5G Download Speed in Canada.
In terms of the uplift, the average 5G download speeds in Canada are 1.9-2.2 times faster than the overall Download Speed Experience, measured across all mobile technology generations.
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
Rogers remains the winner of 5G Upload Speed, this time with a score of 29.9Mbps — around 8Mbps ahead of Bell and Telus, which are statistically tied for second place. Since the last report, our users on Rogers have seen the biggest boost of 5.7Mbps in their average 5G upload speeds, followed by those on Telus (3.6Mbps) and Bell (3.4Mbps).
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 analyzed the regional 5G Experience on Canada's three national carriers — Bell, Rogers and Telus — and regional 5G carrier Videotron in six regions to understand how the 5G experience varies across different parts of the country.
Rogers narrowly leads the results by winning the most regional awards (either outright or jointly) — 21 compared to 18 for Telus and 15 for Bell.
Looking at 5G Video Experience, Telus is the outright winner in Manitoba, leading over Bell and Rogers by around 7.7 points, with a score of 76 points that rates Very Good (68-78). Telus is also the joint winner for this category in four regions: Atlantic Provinces, where it shares the top spot with Rogers, British Columbia — where it is a joint winner alongside Bell — along with Alberta and Ontario, where all three national operators share the glory due to three-way statistical ties. In Quebec, our users in this region enjoy the best available 5G Video Experience when connected to Videotron's network.
Turning to the regional 5G Game Experience, Rogers is the outright winner in Ontario and Quebec, while Telus is the sole victor in Manitoba. Bell and Telus are joint winners in British Columbia. Our users on Bell, Telus and Rogers in Alberta and the Atlantic provinces observe no statistical difference in the quality of their experience while playing multiplayer mobile games over 5G networks.
Bell wins 5G Download Speed awards across five out of six regions —either jointly or outright. Our Bell users in Ontario see the fastest average 5G download speeds of 183.3Mbps at the regional level —24.5Mbps faster than Bell’s national 5G Download Speed score of 158.7Mbps.
In contrast, Rogers wins the most regional awards for 5G Upload Speed; it secured outright wins in five regions. Meanwhile, Telus users observed the fastest average 5G upload and download speeds in Manitoba.
Regional Analysis Summary: Canada, 5G Experience Report, February 2023
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Coverage
National Analysis
Our users across all three major networks in Canada spend statistically similar proportions of time with an active 5G signal — 11.5-12.1%. This means that Bell, Rogers and Telus are joint winners of the 5G Availability award, in contrast to the last report when Rogers won outright. The higher 5G Availability is, the greater the amount of time that users are able to benefit from the improved mobile experience that 5G can provide.
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.
National Analysis
Compared to their score in Opensignal’s last report in August 2022, Rogers users have not seen a statistically significant change in 5G Reach, while Bell’s and Telus’ 5G Reach scores improved by 0.3-0.4 points. As a result, all three major carriers in Canada — Bell, Rogers and Telus — are joint winners of the 5G Reach award, given their statistically tied and identical scores of 5.2 points. This is a change from the previous report when Rogers won the 5G Reach award outright.
Definitions
5G Reach measures how users experience the geographical extent of an operator’s 5G network. It analyzes the average proportion of locations where users were connected to a 5G network out of all the locations those users have visited. In simple terms, 5G Reach measures the 5G mobile experience in all the locations that matter most to everyday users – i.e. all the places where they live, work and travel. 5G Reach for each operator is measured on a scale from 0 to 10.
Regional Analysis
In terms of the proportion of time that 5G users spend with an active 5G connection — 5G Availability — across regions, our Alberta and British Columbia users observed the highest 5G Availability on Rogers' network. Bell and Telus share the top spot in Ontario, while Bell and Rogers are joint winners in Manitoba. Our users in the Atlantic provinces and Quebec reported no statistically significant difference in the proportions of time they spent connected to active 5G signal on all three national networks — Bell, Rogers and Telus.
Turning to 5G Reach — which measures how users experience the geographical extent of an operator's 5G network — Rogers is the outright winner in British Columbia. As is the case with 5G Availability, Bell and Rogers are joint winners in Manitoba. In Quebec, Bell and Telus share the top spot with statistically tied scores of 5.1-5.2 points on a 10-point scale. Our users in Alberta, Atlantic provinces and Ontario saw no statistical difference in 5G Reach experienced across Bell, Rogers, and Telus.
Regional Analysis Summary: Canada, 5G Experience Report, February 2023
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A-I
- Alberta
- Atlantic provinces
- British Columbia
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J-R
- Manitoba
- Ontario
- Quebec
in Alberta
in Alberta
in Atlantic provinces
in Atlantic provinces
in British Columbia
in British Columbia
in Manitoba
in Manitoba
in Ontario
in Ontario
in Quebec
in Quebec
Related Analysis
Our Methodology
Collecting billions of individual measurements daily from over 100 million devices globally, Opensignal independently analyzes mobile user experience on every major network operator around the globe.
About Opensignal
Opensignal is the mobile analytics company committed to improving mobile connectivity across the globe. We are the independent authority for understanding the true experience consumers receive on wireless networks.
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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