Internet performance and reliability

The Internet is essential to every aspect of our daily lives, including for work, education, and entertainment. Its performance and reliability are key to always staying connected and enjoying a smooth, efficient online experience. In collaboration with other organizations, we ensure that Internet service providers (service providers) comply with standards that guarantee reliable, high-performance use of this powerful resource.

If you’re having issues with your service provider regarding billing or the quality of your service, start by contacting their customer service department. If you’re not satisfied with their response or the issue isn’t fixed, you can contact the Commission for Complaints for Telecom-television Services (CCTS) as their role is to help settle disputes between customers and service providers.

The Internet speed targets

Fast Internet networks are essential for Canadians to participate and take full advantage of the opportunities of the digital economy. That is why the CRTC sets Internet speed targets across Canada (see Telecom Regulatory Policy CRTC 2016-496) for service providers.

All Canadian homes and businesses should have access to Internet speeds of at least 50 Mbps for downloads and 10 Mbps for uploads.

The role of Internet speeds

Internet speeds, measured in megabits per second (Mbps) for downloading and uploading data, are the main way to determine the performance of your connection.

Download speed: how quickly data comes to you.
Upload speed: how quickly you send data.

Choosing the right Internet plan

When choosing a plan, make sure you select the one that best fits you without paying more for something you don’t need. Service providers offer various plans with different speeds, typically charging more for faster connections.

Service providers are responsible for:

• providing options to measure your current Internet speeds, helping you assess reliability and performance, and
• the equipment they provide, their billing and marketing practices, the quality of their service, and their customer support.

If you are not satisfied with your current Internet speeds, you can compare the plans of different service providers by Finding the right plan for your needs.

How to measure your Internet speed

To measure your Internet speed, you can either plug a physical device into your router or use an Internet speed test website. This is a great way to make sure that you are getting what you pay for.

A physical device measures Internet performance right at your home’s entry point, ensuring consistent results unaffected by internal network conditions.

Learn more about how well your Internet service performs through the Broadband Measurement Project.

What can affect my Internet speeds

The reliability of your Internet network can be affected by factors within and outside of your home.

Within your home

• The type of computer and its condition have a major impact—a newer model may perform better.
• The efficiency of your high-speed modem can maximize connectivity.
• The installation of your router and the number of devices connected to it. The more devices connected to a router, the slower the connection will be.

Outside of your home

• Heavy traffic on websites can lead to slower loading times when many users are visiting them at the same time.
• Technical issues such as lag can further affect speeds by causing delays in data transmission.
• The condition and functionality of your home’s connection, whether it’s through phone lines, cable, or fibre lines, can influence reliability and speed.

The different types of Internet connectivity

Different types of Internet access offer varying levels of speed and reliability to users across Canada.

Fibre-optic uses light to carry data, which allows for much faster speeds and greater bandwidth.

Cable employs coaxial cables, and initially led in speeding up Internet access, especially in urban areas.

Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) pioneered faster Internet access through existing telephone networks.

Satellite Internet access presents two offerings:

• Geosynchronous satellites provide broader coverage with higher overall data transmission due to their fixed position in higher orbits.
• Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) constellations employ multiple satellites for coverage.

Fixed wireless offers an alternative, particularly in remote or challenging terrain where other methods are impractical. This option requires being within the mobile coverage area and the tower’s range.

Telephone lines use dial-up Internet to connect all of Canada, including the most remote regions.

Date modified:

2024-07-31