May 10 2023
Are you getting the best, cheapest, and fastest internet in your city? In a country like Canada where nearly the entire population has internet access, it can seem like it matters less where you’re located.
But that’s not entirely true, especially if you need the most reliable connection and want to live in the best city for staying connected. As the average Canadian spends an average of 6.5 hours relying on the internet everyday doing everything from checking and sending emails to catching the latest updates on social media, shopping, and managing finances through online banking, location is increasingly determining the internet speed you can get and the quality of your connection.
If you’re having a tough time getting online and staying connected 24/7, some hacks—like running a speed test, boosting your Wi-Fi signal, or checking how many people and devices are sharing your internet connection—can only go so far before you realize that a lot of other people in your area are experiencing slow speeds and delays.
Are you looking for the best city for high-speed internet connectivity, or do you simply want to know the fastest and cheapest internet speed? In this article, Comwave experts explore the top cities in Canada with the fastest internet speeds.
As it’s often said in real estate, location matters. While most highly urbanized and populated cities are guaranteed to have the best and fastest internet speed, rural areas are often lagging in speeds.
One of the best ways to get the best and fastest internet connection is to live in these cities that support it. Here’s how cities coast-to-coast in Canada rank for download speeds according to recent speed tests:
Quite surprisingly, it’s Calgary that tops, beating bigger and more populated cities like Toronto, Vancouver, and Montreal. Overall, Calgary has the fastest internet speed for downloads, making it one of the best places to live, work, and play in terms of reliable connectivity.
Based on the ranking of cities, you may be wondering if this is consistent across their respective provinces. But through speed tests, we’ve learned that some provinces fare better overall, across cities and suburbs.
Here’s the internet speed ranking for Canada’s provinces and territories:
Interestingly, it’s Newfoundland and Labrador that tops the list this time, with an average download speed of 119.7 Mbps. Meanwhile, as a reflection of broader internet connectivity trends across the country, northern provinces and territories continue to lag in internet speeds.
This makes it more challenging to get online in these areas, get an internet connection that’s at par with the rest of the country, and as a result, unlock the same economic opportunities in the digital space. Fortunately, the outlook isn’t that bleak, as providers like Comwave are working hard to bring the best, fastest, and cheapest internet to more underserved areas across Canada.
It’s helpful to remember that the rankings we shared above are based on download speeds, which are typically faster than the other speed that you should be paying attention to: upload speeds. Keep in mind that download speed is about how fast you can load a page, video or image, receive a message, or save online files to your device. Meanwhile, a good upload speed allows you to send files over the internet, post on social media, or reply to an email.
To get the best home internet anywhere in Canada, you need both high download and upload speeds. While 25 Mbps is the general standard for high-speed internet, keep in mind that it may not be enough if there are multiple people on one connection, a number of devices, and high-bandwidth activities like streaming and gaming. With all of these factors to consider, your ideal internet speed could be as fast as 300 Mbps.
While the fastest internet speeds across Canada continue to vary greatly, there’s a promising development in bringing faster internet to more parts of the country. Many internet providers including Comwave, are working on increasing the availability of fibre internet—the best and fastest internet connection.
Fibre internet can help bridge the gap between upload and download speeds, thanks to its use of a symmetrical connection that enables a uniform speed for both uploads and downloads. And while it’s not yet available everywhere in Canada, the combination of ongoing work to increase availability, Wi-Fi signal boosters, modem upgrades, and upgrading to the current fastest speed in your area can significantly improve connectivity.
Is the internet fast enough in your city? If you’re still not getting the best speed, we can fix that. At Comwave, we help you stay connected where it matters most, at the fastest speeds and most affordable prices. Our specialists are to help you figure out if your home internet plan is still right for you. Or, you can use our Speed Finder tool to check your daily connectivity needs and find a plan that matches them.
If you find that your internet speed isn’t the best for your needs, it may be time for an upgrade. Comwave offers the fastest and cheapest internet available in your area, along with other essential upgrades like a new router or modem. Plus, as we continue to work on bringing fibre internet to more homes across Canada, it will only be a matter of time before you start enjoying the fastest internet like any other, at the same cheapest prices.
Want the best internet in your city, at the best price point for your budget? Check out Comwave’s home internet plans, and get the fastest and cheapest internet today.
Comwave is Canada’s largest independent communications company, offering home internet, TV and phone services at some of the best prices in Canada.
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