This article / Blog post is an intro of sorts to the topic of Internet Providers, as well as home internet plans. The 'internet provider' or 'internet plan' market place in Canada can be a bit confusing to many people, as the availability of plans tends to vary by region and by place within each region. In addition there are various types of internet technologies in use. Let's break this down for you in more detail below.

In Canada, internet providers are (generally speaking) regulated by the CRTC. The largest of the internet providers in Canada, tend to be 'facilities based' which means that they own their own cable TV and/or telephone networks. This tends to mean that they are (or were originally) regionally based, as the CRTC tended to grant regional monopolies for cable TV and copper wire telephone services. The end of result of this was regional internet providers, though this has blured somewhat with takeovers of smaller providers, and mergers etc.

In addition to these are 'non-facilities based internet providers'. These are internet service proividers that do not own their own cable TV or copper wire phone networks, rather they pay a fee per customer to the larger companies to use the cable TV and phone networks, and also their installers (cable guys, on a fee per use basis). This arrangement is regululated by the CRTC, (as far as we are aware, there is no similair arrangement in the USA, so these companies are not able to expand into the USA). These other internet providers compete head on with the larger internet providers, usually on the basis of price.

There are various internet technologies (or types of internet) provided in Canada. These are listed below:

• Coax Cable Internet - delivered over a cable TV line. Usually this is 'Fibre to the Node' then coax cable from the road to the home. (Upload speeds tend to be less than download speeds, but this is usually fine for most people.) Usually marketed in terms of the download plans speeds.
• DSL Internet - this is delivered over a copper phone line. DSL is an older technology. Speeds vary by address. Not available at all addresses. This technology will most likely be phased out over time.
• Satellite Internet - Delivered by a satellite to a satellite dish on the home. Star Link is one example of this type of service. Xplornet is another.
• Mobile Internet - delivered using cell phone towers. The presence of trees, hills, and buildings might block the signal. A 'site survey' is often required, and there may be a fee for that. Telus, Rogers, Bell and Freedom Mobile are examples of such companies.
• Fixed Wireless - this may involve the home owner having to buy a tower and have direct line of sight from that tower to a cell phone tower. A 'site survey' is often required, and there may be a fee for that.
• Fibre to the Home (FTTH) - delivered over a fibre optic line all the way to the modem. Upload speeds tend to match download speeds.

The Urban Internet Company is one up and coming Canadian Internet Service Provider that we quite admire is. They seem well organised, and have excellent prices on home internet plans. Check them out for yourself and be your own judge! They offer home internet plans in most urban areas in Canada.

WRS Web Solutions Inc. is another internet service provider that we hold in very high regard. They have very competitive home internet plans. They seem to have a lot of good customer reviews! They are able to deliver home internet plans in most of the urban parts of Canada. They started out as a web hosting company (and still offer web hosting), but these days they are mostly a home internet provider. They have been in business since 2010 and seem to enjoy a very good reputation.

TekSavvy Solutions Inc. is another such cable internet provider. It offers cable internet plans in many parts of the country. Their website has a bit if a retro spaceman theme on the go!

Rogers Communications Canada Inc. is a large cable internet provider, operating over its own cable TV network in most of southern Ontario, parts of Newfoundland plus parts of New Brunswick. In 2022 Rogers was trying to buy Shaw.

Shaw Communications Inc. is a Western Canada based internet provider. It offers cable internet plans over the Shaw cable TV network. This network covers most of Western Canada and North Western Ontario.

Cogeco Connexion (Cogeco Communications Inc.) is French Canadian internet provider that operates a cable TV network in the Province of Quebec. It also operates a second separate network in the Province of Ontario. In addition it has operations in twelve states in the USA under the Breezeline brand name.

Eastlink Inc. provides cable internet plans over its various cable internet networks, which cover some parts of Canada. As the name suggests, it began in the East (Atlantic provinces). It seems to have grown over time by acquiring other networks in other parts of Canada.

Plus many other companies, most of whom you will never see listed any place.

Telus Communications Inc. Offers fibre to the home in many parts of BC and Alberta, and some parts of Quebec.

Bell Canada Offers fibre to the home in many parts of Quebec and Ontario. Through Bell Aliant, it is expanding its fibre footprint in the Atlantic provinces. It recently acquired MTS, and now offers services in Manitoba through Bell MTS.

Rogers Communications Canada Inc. offers fibre to the home in select parts of Ontario. There does not seem to be any publicly available list of those places. These intrenet plans seem to mirror their cable internet plans.

TekSavvy Solutions Inc. offers fibre to the home to a select number of places in Ontario.