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As of March 2021, there are over 33 million wireless subscriptions in Canada. Approximately 90% of Canadian mobile phone users subscribe to one of the four largest national
telecommunication Telecommunication, often used in its plural form or abbreviated as telecom, is the transmission of information over a distance using electronic means, typically through cables, radio waves, or other communication technologies. These means of ...
companies (
Rogers Wireless Rogers Wireless Inc. is a Canadian mobile network operator headquartered in Toronto, providing service nationally throughout Canada. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Rogers Communications. The company had revenues of just under $15.1 billion in ...
,
Telus Mobility Telus Mobility (normally typeset as TELUS Mobility) is a Canadian Mobile network operator, wireless network operator and a division of Telus Communications which sells wireless services in Canada on its network. It operates 5G+, 5G, LTE (telecom ...
,
Bell Mobility Bell Mobility Inc. is a Canadian mobile network operator, wireless network operator and the division of Bell Canada which offers wireless services across Canada. It operates networks using LTE (telecommunication), LTE and Evolved HSPA, HSPA+ on ...
and
Freedom Mobile Freedom Mobile (formerly Wind Mobile) is a Canadian wireless telecommunications provider owned by Québecor. As of November 30, 2022 it is the fourth-largest wireless carrier in the country with 2,290,497 subscribers and a 6% market share, prim ...
) and Micro Mobile or one of their
subsidiary A subsidiary, subsidiary company, or daughter company is a company (law), company completely or partially owned or controlled by another company, called the parent company or holding company, which has legal and financial control over the subsidia ...
brands. These four
mobile network operator A mobile network operator (MNO), also known as a mobile network provider, mobile network carrier, mobile , wireless service provider, wireless carrier, wireless operator, wireless telco, or cellular company, is a telecommunications provider of se ...
s 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 operator A mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) is a wireless communications services provider that does not own the wireless network infrastructure over which it provides services to its customers. An MVNO enters into a business agreement with a mobil ...
s (MVNOs), 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 The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC; ) is a public organization in Canada tasked with the mandate as a regulatory agency tribunal for various electronic communications, covering broadcasting and telecommunic ...
(CRTC), 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 (MNOs)

This is a list of
mobile network operator A mobile network operator (MNO), also known as a mobile network provider, mobile network carrier, mobile , wireless service provider, wireless carrier, wireless operator, wireless telco, or cellular company, is a telecommunications provider of se ...
s, 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.


Mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) and resellers


Push-to-talk networks


Former MVNOs


Defunct, merged and acquired operators

Some operators listed below may still function as a separate brand but they no longer own any infrastructure (towers, network, etc.).


eSIM networks in Canada

The adoption of eSIM (embedded SIM) technology has increased among Canadian mobile network operators, enabling users to activate cellular service without the need for a physical SIM card. Major carriers, including
Bell Mobility Bell Mobility Inc. is a Canadian mobile network operator, wireless network operator and the division of Bell Canada which offers wireless services across Canada. It operates networks using LTE (telecommunication), LTE and Evolved HSPA, HSPA+ on ...
, Rogers, and
Telus Telus may refer to: * Telus Corporation, a Canadian publicly traded holding company ** Telus Communications, a telecommunications company ** Telus Digital, a technology company ** Telus Health, a health technology provider ** Telus Mobility T ...
, have integrated eSIM support into their postpaid and select prepaid plans, facilitating greater flexibility for consumers. Additionally, several MVNOs, such as Lucky Mobile, Fido, and Virgin Plus, commercial companies Ohayu , Airalo, Maya have introduced eSIM functionality, expanding accessibility to a broader user base. The implementation of eSIM technology offers significant advantages, including enhanced convenience for international travelers, improved support for dual-SIM functionality, and the potential for streamlined device provisioning in enterprise settings. As eSIM adoption continues to grow, it is expected to play a critical role in the evolution of Canada’s telecommunications infrastructure. According to the Canadian Telecommunications Association , by 2026, the country will be close to investing $6B in 5G scaling.


See also

*
Internet in Canada Canada ranks as 28th in the world for Internet usage with an estimated 35.34 million users or 93% of the population as of 2021. According to Harvard researchers, Canada has some of the lowest internet standards among OECD countries, as a result o ...
* Mobile country code#Canada - CA *
List of Canadian electric utilities This is a list of the electric utilities in Canada. List of electric utilities by size List of electric utilities by province or territory This is a list of Canada, Canadian public and private electric utilities, by province. Electri ...
* List of Canadian telephone companies *
List of telephone operating companies This list identifies the largest telecommunications companies by total revenue. For a more thorough list, see the By region section. By total revenue ''Note: Numbers of total revenues of most telephone operating companies are sourced from Fo ...
*
List of mobile network operators For a more comprehensive list of mobile phone operators, see Mobile country codes. Terrestrial This is a list of the world's 25 largest terrestrial mobile phone network operators measured by number of subscriptions. Satellite based This i ...
* List of mobile network operators of the Americas#Canada *
List of United States wireless communications service providers This is a list of mobile network operators (MNOs) in the United States. The Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Association (CTIA), lists approximately 30 facilities-based wireless service providers in the United States as members. Competit ...


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Canadian mobile phone companies Mobile virtual network operators
Canadian Canadians () are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of their being ''C ...
Mobile phone A mobile phone or cell phone is a portable telephone that allows users to make and receive calls over a radio frequency link while moving within a designated telephone service area, unlike fixed-location phones ( landline phones). This rad ...