Comparison of Canadian Home Internet Services: Bell, Telus, Rogers

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(Note: All include promotions for new customers)

Living in Canada for nearly two years, working from home has made the quality of internet service critically important to me. Given that I earn my living online, I am willing to invest a bit more in my internet connection. Having moved a few times, I had the opportunity to experience the services of the three major Canadian internet providers. It’s worth mentioning that other smaller internet providers are essentially reselling services from these three.

First off, if Bell’s service is available in your area, I personally believe Bell is the best option. The next choice would be Telus, and the least recommended is Rogers.

Bell’s internet Service

Bell primarily serves the Eastern part of Canada. Due to the dense population in the East, Bell’s pricing is relatively lower. When I was in Ottawa, for about $55 a month, I could enjoy internet with equal upload and download speeds of 3 Gbps, which is exceptionally cost-effective.

Rogers’ Service Experience

Conversely, Rogers covers both Eastern and Western Canada, having expanded its services in the West through the acquisition of Shaw Communications. However, I personally feel Rogers does not prioritize service quality. For example, while the other two providers have achieved fiber-to-the-home, Rogers still routes fiber to the distribution box at the house’s exterior and then connects to the interior using copper cable. This not only occupies my property but also creates a situation where the fiber is brought to the door but not inside, resulting in actual bandwidth far below theoretical maximums—up to 1 Gbps down and only 100 Mbps up.

The Uniqueness of Telus

Finally, regarding Telus, it’s a rather unique provider. A brief look into its history reveals that Telus was originally a state-owned telecommunications operator in Alberta, which privatized and later merged with a telecommunications operator from British Columbia, becoming today’s Telus. While using its services in Vancouver, even though the prices were higher, I found the stability and customer service response satisfactory. One thing to be cautious of is not to fully trust salespeople, as their main goal is to earn commissions, and they might not explain all the details. For instance, Rogers salespeople have claimed to offer equal upload and download speeds, which was not the case. This may not necessarily be the salesperson’s fault, as they may have limited technical understanding and typically do not use such internet services themselves.

In conclusion, when choosing an internet service, it’s advisable to thoroughly understand the services and prices offered by each provider, as well as feedback from actual users, to make the most suitable choice for yourself.