As of October 2024, there are over 37.2 million wireless subscriptions in Canada. Approximately 90% of Canadian mobile phone users subscribe to one of the four largest national telecommunication companies (Rogers Wireless, Telus Mobility, Bell Mobility and Freedom Mobile) or one of their subsidiary brands. These four mobile network operators 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 operators (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 (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 operators, 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. Operator Subscribertotal Subscribers by service type Coverage(excluding roaming) Ownership Postpaid PrepaidBell Mobility Virgin Plus Lucky Mobile 10.32 million(Q1 2026) 9.56 million 0.75 million NationwideBCE Inc.Eastlink Wireless NB, NL, NS, ON, PE, ABEastlinkIristel Ice Wireless NU, NT, YT, QCIristelK-Net Mobile OntarioKeewaytinook OkimakanakRogers Wireless Fido Mobile Chatr Mobile 12.26 million(Q2 2026) 11.04 million 1.22 million 10 Provinces onlyRogers CommunicationsSaskTel Mobility Lüm Mobile 0.692 million(Q2 2025) SaskatchewanSaskatchewan GovernmentSogetel Mobilité QuebecSogetelSSi Canada Qiniq EEYou Mobile Nunavut only for Qiniq, Quebec for EEYou MobileSSi CanadaTbayTel Mobility OntarioThunder Bay Municipal GovernmentTelus Mobility Koodo Mobile Public Mobile 10.31 million(Q1 2026) NationwideTelus CorporationVidéotron Mobility Freedom Mobile Fizz Mobile 4.43 million(Q1 2026) QC, ON, BC, AB, MBQuébecor
Mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) and resellers OperatorNetworkOwnershipType / Info7-Eleven Speak Out WirelessTelus Ztar MobileMVNOTigiidooRogers / BellTigiidooMVNODCI WirelessTelus DCI Telecom Inc.ResellerFongo WirelessRogers Fibernetics CorporationData only plansPC Mobile No Name MobileBell LoblawsMVNOGood2Go MobilityTelus Ztar MobileMVNOCarry Telecom MobileTelus Carry TelecomMVNOWundle MobileRogers / BellWundle United Co-Op/Fabricate INCMVNOPhoneBox Canada Eyesurf CIK TelecomTelusConnex Telecommunications Inc.MVNOCanadiansim.comRogers Canadiansim.comResellerExeculink MobilityBell Execulink Telecom Inc.Reseller/Wiresless CarrierQuadro MobilityBell Quadro Communications Co-operative Inc.Reseller/Wiresless CarrierWightman MobilityTelus Wightman Telecom Ltd.Reseller/Wiresless CarrierCTExcel CanadaTelus China Telecom MVNOCogeco MobileTelus CogecoMVNOKini MobileTelus Kin InnovationMVNOSimforCanadaRogersSimforCanadaReseller eSIM Data Plans
Push-to-talk networks Operator Ownership Coverage Technology Frequency Status Notes Airtel Wireless Airtel Wireless Ltd. Calgary iDEN SMR Active Fleetcom Fleetcom Inc. Toronto iDEN SMR Active
Former MVNOs OperatorNetworkOwnershipNotesAmp'd MobileTelus MobilityLaunched on March 14, 2007. Discontinued on August 1, 2007 and eventually replaced by Koodo.ClearnetStarted as second Clearnet incarnation as MVNO on April 5, 2011 by Telus. Discontinued as of June 2, 2012.MiKELaunched in 1996 by Clearnet on iDEN platform from Motorola. Clearnet acquired by Telus in 2000. Shutdown on January 29, 2016.Shaw MobileFreedom MobileRogers WirelessDiscontinued as of December 21, 2023.Solo MobileBell MobilityBell CanadaDiscontinued for new customers, but still active for current ones.Sprint CanadaFidoRogers WirelessHad 31,000 customers in Q3 2005 before being acquiredPetro-Canada MobilityRogers WirelessZtar MobileDiscontinued, customers migrated to Good2Go MobilityXplore MobileBell MobilityXplore Inc.Xplore Mobile brand was announced August 1, 2018. Discontinued August 2022.CityfoneRogers WirelessAs of November, 15, 2023 the company stopped accepting new activations. All customers will be transitioned to Rogers Wireless by December 1, 2024Primus WirelessSears ConnectSimply ConnectZoomer Wireless
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.). OperatorOwnershipVoice technologyData technologyEnd dateNotesAGT CellularAlberta Government TelephonesAMPS1996In 1996, the AGT and Ed Tel brands were retired in favour of the Telus nameCityWestCityWestGSMEDGEDecember 13, 2013Wireless services discontinued; mobile customers transitioned to TelusBell AliantBell AliantCDMA2006Wireless services discontinued, migrated to Bell Mobility.Bell MTS MobilityBell MTSCDMAOctober, 2018Wireless services discontinued, migrated to Bell Mobility.BC CellularBell MTSAMPS1999Network merged with TelusClearnetClearnet CommunicationsCDMA2000EV-DO2000Network merged with TelusDryden Municipal Telephone ServiceDryden Municipal Telephone ServiceGSM, CDMA2000EDGE, EV-DODecember 21, 2012Wireless customers migrated to TbaytelEdTel MobilityEdmonton TelAMPS1995 Purchased by the newly formed Telus in 1995. In 1996, the AGT and Ed Tel brands were retired in favour of the Telus name.FidoMicrocellGSMEDGENovember 8, 2004Network merged with Rogers; continues to operate as an MVNO.Freedom MobileShawGSM, UMTS, VoLTEEDGE, HSPA+, LTE December 21, 2023Network merged with Videotron; continues to operate as an MVNO.Kenora Municipal Telephone Service (KMTS)Kenora Municipal Telephone ServiceCDMA2000EV-DOFebruary 2008Acquired by Bell Aliant.Lynx MobilityLynx MobilityGSMEDGEMarch 2018Ceased operations.MobilicityDAVE WirelessUMTSHSPA+2016Acquired by Rogers Wireless; customers transitioned to Chatr Mobile.NorthernTel MobilityNorthernTel MobilityJuly 19, 2015NorthernTel Mobility wireless subscribers moved to Bell Mobility.NorthwestelNorthwestelJune 19, 2014Wireless services discontinued, sold to Bell Mobility.Public MobilePublic MobileCDMA2000EV-DOAugust 8, 2014Acquired by Telus; CDMA network decommissioned, continues to operate as a Telus MVNOSuperior WirelessSuperior WirelessCDMA2000EV-DOAugust 2006Merged with TBayTelTélébec MobilitéTélébecFebruary 2007Télébec Mobilité wireless subscribers moved to Bell Aliant.TNWInvestel Capital3G
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, Rogers, and Telus, have integrated eSIM support into their postpaid and select prepaid plans, facilitating greater flexibility for consumers.
See also Internet in Canada Mobile country code#Canada - CA List of Canadian electric utilities List of Canadian telephone companies List of telephone operating companies List of mobile network operators List of mobile network operators of the Americas#Canada List of United States wireless communications service providers
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