OTTAWA — A recent Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association survey compiling data from some of Canada’s telecom providers released today gives insight into just how much Canadians’ consumption of telecom services has changed during the current health crisis, and that the country’s networks remained resilient in the face of all the traffic shifts and increases.
The CWTA collected information regarding wireline and mobile traffic, for broadband and voice, and measured it against a pre-Covid-19 baseline. Facilities-based network operators who were surveyed for the report include Bell, Rogers, SaskTel, Shaw/Freedom, Tbaytel, Telus and Videotron.
Among the data highlights of the CWTA’s report, Managing Networks in Unprecedented Times, released today:
- Wireline home Internet traffic increased by as much as 48.7% for download traffic and 69.2% for upload.
- Mobile data traffic varied widely across carriers showing both increases and decreases in mobile traffic volumes: download traffic increased by as much as 28.9% and decreased by 36.7%, and upload traffic increased up to 26.6% and decreased by up to 23.%.
- Mobile voice call minutes increased by as much as 60%.
“Covid-19 has disrupted the lives of Canadians. In the face of such disruptions, staying connected has become more important than ever,” said Eric Smith, senior vice-president of CWTA, in the news release.
“The results of our survey show that the shift to remote work, virtual education, and the digitization of many other services has meant large increases in network traffic and significant changes in how Canadians communicate and connect to the internet during this time. The resiliency of our telecommunications networks in the face of such dramatic changes is a testament to the years of effective planning and investments.”
More information about the CWTA’s Managing Networks in Unprecedented Times report is available here.
CWTA has been tracking how facilities-based network operators have responded to the ongoing Covid-19 situation. More information can be found on the CWTA website here.
