Government Official Encourages Canadians to Compare Prices for Better Mobile Service Deals
According to a government official, Canadians’ struggle to find affordable wireless services is due to a lack of seeking out deals.
The Department of Industry official made these comments after senators noted that consumer prices don’t align with Ottawa’s claims of decreased mobile costs, as initially reported by Blacklock’s Reporter.
“Consumers may question the reported 26 percent reduction in plan prices when their bills haven’t decreased by that amount. The ‘right plan’ is often available on the provider’s website,” explained Andre Arbour, director general of internet policy at the industry department.
Arbour added, “People lead busy lives and may not actively shop for new plans. With things generally functioning well, it’s about guiding consumers to make the most of available options in the market.”
These remarks follow a report by Statistics Canada, stating that Canadians paid 26.5 percent less for cell phone plans in 2024 compared to the previous year.
“The decrease in prices was driven by new plan discounts and increased data allowances,” highlighted the report.
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As per Statistics Canada, internet service costs in Canada decreased by 13.2 percent due to promotions by service providers.
However, compared globally, North America has high mobile service prices, according to Cable.co.uk, a price comparison site.
On average, cell phone services in North America cost US$104.33, ranking it as the third most expensive region worldwide. Within the North America group (U.S., Canada, Greenland, and Bermuda), Canada had the lowest rates at $58.26, in comparison to $65 in the U.S., $113 in Greenland, and $185 in Bermuda.
An analysis by Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada in 2023 revealed that Canada had higher cell phone plan prices compared to other nations.
For instance, a 2-4 gigabyte plan in Canada cost $35.25, while it was $84.82 in the U.S., $23.51 in the U.K., $16.78 in Germany, and $100.46 in Japan.
Similarly, a 5-6 gigabyte plan in Canada was priced at $45.46, $53.73 in the U.S., $29.76 in the U.K., and $21.86 in Germany (with no equivalent plan available in Japan).
Higher data plans also showed Canada on the higher pricing end, with 50-99 gigabytes costing around $70, compared to $79 in the U.S., $35.98 in the U.K., $67 in Germany, and $132 in Japan.
