Data plan prices have dropped between 10% and 18% since last year
OTTAWA — With no fanfare, or even a press release, the ministry of Innovation, Science and Industry released its latest quarterly report on wireless plan prices last Friday, which shows the majority of monthly wireless plans with 2 GB to 6 GB continue to decrease in price across Canada.
ISI (formerly ISED) is tracking wireless plan pricing as part of the federal government’s public pledge to consumers to reduce the cost of wireless services by 25% by early 2022. Benchmark prices, or the prices to which the 25% reduction will apply, were set by the ministry based on prices advertised on carriers’ websites in January 2020 for post-paid, bring-your-own-device, unlimited talk-and-text 4G/LTE plans in the 2 GB to 6 GB range.
According to ISI’s newest quarterly report (available here), prices for most wireless plans have decreased between 10% and 18% when compared to the benchmark prices collected in early 2020.
The pricing data for the October-December 2020 quarter is reported by province (prices in the territories are not included). The three wireless providers tracked in the report are Rogers’ Fido, Telus’ Koodo and Bell’s Virgin Mobile flanker brands.
A general trend seen across the country is that all three wireless brands were offering 4 GB data plans for $50 per month in October, with prices dropping to $45 per month in December. According to the report, the carriers’ 6 GB data plans were priced at $55 per month in October and dropped to $50 per month in December.
The one exception to these general pricing trends was seen in Quebec, where prices for 4 GB data plans from the three flanker brands was $40 in December. This price point has already met the 25% price reduction target, making Quebec the only province where the carriers have achieved a 25% reduction from the benchmark prices set in early 2020.
