Better Access to Better Cellular Service: Our Proposal for a Connected Canada

Massive new investments are coming to Canada in the form of digital infrastructure in the next year – mobile networks to connect Canadians to 5G, the next generation of cellular services. We believe governments should pave the way to a connected Canada by minimizing the obstacles to doing business as a means to achieve better service for consumers at a lower price point. 

Right now, Canadian telecoms companies pay among the highest prices in the world for spectrum licenses. Spectrum is the band of radio frequency that mobile networks use to deliver services. Spectrum is a limited public resource that governments use to generate revenue for the greater public good – essentially a tax that telecom providers pay to use broadband frequencies. The cost of that tax is ultimately paid by consumers in the form of access fees.

According to a study by the GSMA (Global System for Mobile Communications Association), high spectrum prices increase retail prices, reduce network speed and delay the roll-out of coverage for suburban and rural populations. Lower spectrum prices would result in more subscribers from rural and suburban areas, lower prices and an increase in download speeds.

Better access to better service, faster? Read our proposal, Connected Canada – Accelerate 5G, to learn more.