Majority of broadband services sold in Canada are as fast or faster than their advertised download speeds

OTTAWA and GATINEAU, QC, March 31, 2016 /CNW/ - According to the results of the first national, independent broadband performance study, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) today revealed that the majority of broadband Internet services sold in Canada meet or exceed their advertised download and upload speeds. Participating Internet service providers (ISP) included all the main Canadian facilities-based companies except SaskTel.

A preliminary report issued today found that services using Cable/Hybrid-Fibre Co-Axial (HFC) and Fibre-to-the-Home (FTTH) technologies delivered download speeds in excess of the rates advertised by ISPs. FTTH services delivered 119% of advertised download speed on average, while Cable/HFC services delivered 103%. Most Digital Subscriber Line-based (DSL) services met or exceeded the advertised rates too. However, DSL services in the 5-9 Megabits per second category only attained 88% of the advertised speed rate.

Performance was largely consistent across all regions, with the vast majority achieving between 109% and 122% of advertised download speed.

The data will enable the CRTC to improve its future broadband policy-making, and will ultimately form part of its annual data collection and monitoring activities. The report will enable Canadians to gain additional insight into network performance, including connection speeds, as well as provide a greater understanding of whether certain Internet services from participating ISPs are delivered at the advertised speeds.  A second report will be published later in 2016, which will detail the performance of individual ISPs and their specific service offerings.

The CRTC launched a project in 2015, to measure broadband Internet performance in Canadian homes and is collaborating in this project with major ISPs across the country and SamKnows, a UK-based company contracted to undertake the study. Volunteers were selected to ensure a Canada-wide distribution among the various participating ISPs: Rogers, Vidéotron, Shaw, TELUS, Cogeco, Bell Canada, Eastlink, MTS, Northwestel and Bell Aliant. SaskTel declined participation in the project.

A device called a "Whitebox", was sent to nearly 4500 Canadian volunteers' homes across a range of Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and products. The devices measured the performance of the Internet connection at different times during times when it was not in use. DSL, Cable/HFC and FTTH services were the technologies measured for the purpose of this study.

Quick Facts

• Most broadband services sold in Canada met or exceeded their advertised download speeds according to the report.
• The data presented in the report was collected between October 1, 2015 and November 30, 2015.
• Most test results shown in the report reflect results gathered during the peak usage period of 7-11 p.m. (local time) on weeknights.
• To protect the privacy of participants, no information about their online activities was collected.
• The CRTC collaborated with major Internet service providers (ISPs) across the country and SamKnows, a company specializing in measuring broadband for this initiative.
• Although network connectivity is an important factor in determining the broadband speed experienced by subscribers, other factors (such as home Wi-Fi, website capacity and device limitation) may also impact performance. This broadband measurement project focused on the service provided by ISPs.
• The CRTC will hold a public hearing in April 2016 to review which telecommunications services, including broadband Internet services, Canadians need to participate in the digital economy.

Quote

"We are pleased that Canadians now have better insight into the performance, including the actual connection speeds, of the broadband Internet services provided to them by the major ISPs in the country. Based on the preliminary findings, Canadians are receiving the broadband speeds they are paying for. This national project was the first of its kind in Canada, and we are grateful to the volunteers across Canada who participated as well as to the ISPs that partnered with us. It has provided us with information that will help improve broadband policy and will no doubt be valuable during the public hearing in April 2016 to review which telecommunications services Canadians need to participate in the digital economy."

Jean-Pierre Blais, CRTC Chairman and CEO

Related products 

Broadband Measurement report  
How Does Your Internet Service Measure Up 
November 2015 News Release 
May 2015 News Release

Ask a question or make a complaint

Stay Connected
Follow us on Twitter @CRTCeng 
Like us on Facebook www.facebook.com/crtceng  

SOURCE Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission

Media Relations, [phone], General Inquiries [phone], Toll-free 1 (877) 249-CRTC (2782), TTY [phone]