The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) today announced the release of its latest Communications Monitoring Report pricing publication, detailing price changes Canadians have been paying for wireless, Internet, TV and home phone services since 2016.
According to the CRTC, “the national monthly average reported price for wireless, Internet, television and home phone services (combined) was 11% lower in 2018 than in 2016.”
But the “most significant” price decreases came in the mobile wireless market, explains the CRTC, detailing how mobile plans with 5GB of data have dropped on average of 28% from the years 2016 to 2018.
“The most significant drop being for services offering 5 gigabytes (GB) of data or more. For example, the average monthly price for a mobile service with unlimited voice, text messaging and 5 GB of data fell by as much as 35% in 2018, from $78.36 in 2016 to $51.05,” explained the CRTC.
Currently, a 5GB plan as detailed above costs $65 per month from Fido, Virgin and Koodo.
When it comes to broadband internet, prices dropped 3.2% from $82.05 in 2016 to $79.40 in 2018, for the CRTC’s target broadband speeds of 50 Mbps download and 10 Mbps upload.
As for TV, the Communications Monitoring Report details a price drop of 8% from $27.64 to $25.55 for the average price of basic TV packages, from 2016 to 2018.
The CRTC says a “general increase” to communication bills by Canadians are due to “appetite for the latest mobile devices, more data and faster broadband speeds.” But despite all this, “prices have been trending downwards,”
“The latest pricing data illustrate a positive trend for consumers, who have raised concerns about the prices of communications services. We have taken steps to address some of these concerns and have plans to consult with Canadians and explore further ways to improve the availability and affordability of services, including in the current review of mobile wireless services,” said Ian Scott, CRTC Chairperson and CEO, in a press release.
Starting on January 13, 2020, the CRTC will hold a public hearing on the review of mobile wireless services in Canada.
What do you think of this CRTC report? Have you seen your wireless, TV and internet prices decrease over the years?
