CRTC internet-plan disclosures: compare speeds and prices for 2027

The CRTC’s September 10, 2026 consumer guide says clearer internet-plan disclosures take effect March 10, 2027 for providers subject to the Internet Code. The information includes typical speeds, peak-hour performance, the regular price after a promotion and necessary equipment fees. These are upcoming requirements, not a claim that every advertisement already complies.

Compare more than a maximum download number

The regulator says covered providers will no longer be able to advertise speeds using “up to” claims alone. Its guide describes peak hours as 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. and shows an example with download and upload figures and a latency range. The illustration is hypothetical: its dollar amounts and speeds are not an actual provider offer.

For a household, write down the activities that overlap in the evening. Video calls, streaming, uploads and gaming stress different parts of a connection. Ask the provider for the relevant performance description and distinguish a service claim from what a particular Wi-Fi device measures in your home.

Put the regular price next to the promotion

The CRTC guide says required information will include the monthly price after discounts and necessary equipment fees. It also points customers first to their provider for service issues, then potentially to the CCTS if unresolved. Its guide and the underlying policy come from the same regulator, rather than independent evidence about customer savings.

Our comparison method is to choose a common time horizon, record each month’s recurring price and add mandatory one-time charges separately. For illustration only, a fictional plan at $60 for twelve months and $90 for twelve months costs $1,800 over two years before tax and other charges, averaging $75 monthly. A second fictional plan at $80 for all twenty-four months costs $1,920. The cheapest introductory month does not tell you the full comparison.

Ask the same questions of every provider

Request the regular price, discount duration, equipment costs, installation charges, term and cancellation conditions in writing. Confirm address-level availability and upload performance. Keep the offer date with the comparison because terms can change. The coming disclosure framework makes these questions easier to organize; it does not pick the right plan for a household.

An existing customer should compare any new offer with their present bill and service needs. If the current connection already supports the household’s work, a larger advertised speed may have less value than a lower total cost or better support. This is a purchasing judgment, not a savings guarantee.

Use speed tests as documented observations

For a service issue, record the time, device, wired or wireless connection and competing activity. Repeat under comparable conditions, including the evening period relevant to the problem. A single result can help a support conversation but cannot, on its own, prove a provider’s compliance with a regulatory measurement standard.

The effective date matters: March 10, 2027 remains in the future as this explainer is published. Read the current regulator guidance when shopping and revisit an offer’s terms before signing. Clearer disclosures should support comparison, while actual prices and service outcomes still need to be checked.

Sources and editorial method

We use the linked original statements and reports to distinguish documented facts from our analysis. Company announcements describe their authors’ plans and claims; they are not independent verification of future outcomes. This article is dated and will be revised if material evidence changes. Read our editorial standards and corrections process.

CRTC: consumer guide to plan comparisons ↗ — September 10 guide; effective date, covered providers, price and speed information, and complaint route.
CRTC Regulatory Policy 2026-238 ↗ — Underlying policy. Direct automated retrieval returned 403 during this review; the article relies on the accessible consumer guide for stated requirements.