Novus speed test and benchmark guide

What your result actually measures

The download figure measures traffic from the AI Speed test route to your browser, while upload measures traffic sent to it. Ping is the round-trip response time and jitter describes variation between samples. These values belong to the particular path, device and moment you tested. They are not an official city average or a ranking of the providers listed here. If you want to compare two plans, test on the same device and connection method at comparable times, and record the subscribed tier for each.

Use the CRTC 50/10 target correctly

The CRTC’s universal service objective includes access to at least 50 Mbps download and 10 Mbps upload, along with unlimited data at home and at work. It is a policy target for availability, not a guarantee that every address already qualifies or that a browser test must always return 50/10. If your own wired result repeatedly falls below the subscribed plan, first check the equipment and test conditions, then contact the provider with dated measurements. If you need to know whether 50/10 is offered at an address, consult the official broadband map and the provider’s address checker.

Why a local test can disagree with a plan

A plan speed describes the service tier; a browser result also includes the performance of the Wi-Fi link, computer, router, other household traffic and a test server. The slowest component determines the observed rate. A 1 Gbps access line connected through a 100 Mbps Ethernet port cannot show a gigabit reading on that device. An older Wi-Fi radio can also be the limiting part even when the line and router are capable of more. Start with a wired measurement when practical, then repeat from the room where you normally work.

Run several tests rather than treating one reading as a diagnosis. Try a quiet period and a busy evening, and note whether a VPN, cloud backup or large download was active. If the wired reading is stable but the wireless reading drops sharply in one room, focus on Wi-Fi placement and interference. If the wired reading also varies by time, collect a small series of results before discussing congestion or line issues with support. Different speed testing sites use different routes and methods, so equal numbers are not expected.

Availability is an address-level question

A list of companies in a provincial market does not establish coverage on your street or in your building. Fibre to a neighbourhood, fibre to a building and fibre to an individual unit are different claims. Where cable, DSL, fixed wireless or satellite also exist, their upload and latency characteristics may be different. Check the exact civic address and unit number, verify the plan’s advertised download and upload, and ask whether the installation requires new equipment. The National Broadband Map is a useful starting point; the provider’s current address checker and written offer are needed for a purchase decision.

Location and network ownership

An IP lookup can estimate a city and identify the organization associated with an address range, but it cannot establish the physical location of a subscriber or tell you which provider serves a neighbouring house. Mobile networks, VPNs and shared gateways can make the estimated city less relevant to where a user is sitting. AI Speed asks for a location lookup only when you request network details, and the map labels the coordinates as approximate. Use an address checker for coverage and an on-site speed test for the path you actually use. Treat an autonomous-system name as a network clue rather than proof of the retail brand on a bill.

Provider comparison checklist

The following are providers associated with this broader market or the provider covered by this page. Presence in this table does not verify availability or fibre at a particular address. The benchmark cells are deliberately empty until there is a dated, comparable measurement set.

Match the fix to the bottleneck

For a slow wired result, restart equipment once, check the modem or optical terminal’s status, confirm the subscribed tier and contact the provider if the issue persists. For a fast wired result but poor Wi-Fi, move the router into an open central position, choose suitable bands for distance and device capability, and avoid placing it behind metal or inside a cabinet. For good throughput but high jitter, pause competing uploads and test during another period. For home-office calls, sustained upload and stable latency can matter as much as download. For gaming, low, consistent latency generally matters more than a headline gigabit figure.

How these pages are maintained

AI Speed separates a policy target, an advertised plan and a measured result. The 50/10 target comes from the CRTC. Service availability should be confirmed through Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada’s National Broadband Map and the provider’s current address checker. This page does not fabricate local averages or suggest a provider is fastest without comparable evidence. Once AI Speed publishes dated, sourced measurements, the city and provider comparison rows can be updated with sample sizes and a clear method. Until then, the most useful number on this page is the result you measure on your own device.

Common questions

Sources and method

• CRTC: Broadband Fund and universal service targets
• ISED: National Broadband Map
• AI Speed: why speed tests disagree

Editorial status: template with verified national references; local comparative statistics await a documented source and review.