Telcan Internet Review

---

We’re always on the hunt for affordable home internet plans that provide alternatives to the high prices and unnecessarily large plans from the Big Three of Bell, Rogers, and Telus. When we heard Telcan, a telecom company known primarily for niche services, had begun offering home internet plans, we were intrigued.

Telcan provides cable and DSL internet service to Ontario and Quebec, with speeds as high as 300Mbps and prices as low as $38/month, making it a competitive ISP in the crowded Canadian market.

In this review, we break down everything you need to know about Telcan, including pricing, performance, coverage, and how they stack up against competitors like oxio, TekSavvy, and Fido. Along the way, we’ll also point you towards some discounts available for WhistleOut readers.

Telcan internet plans

---

Telcan offers numerous cable and DSL plans to Ontario and Quebec, with plans starting at just $38/month. Here’s a list of all the home internet plans Telcan currently offers:

We’re big fans of Telcan’s affordability, their month-to-month commitments, and their highly responsive customer service. We also love that they’re offering sweet discounts WhistleOut readers—but we’re guessing you saw that one coming.

What we like

---

Affordable home internet service

Canadians looking for a new internet plan often assume that faster is better. That’s true, but only to a point. Bell’s Gigabit 8.0 plan is the fastest in Canada, with blistering 8Gbps download speeds, though most households don’t require that kind of speed. More importantly, most households can’t even receive speeds that fast; the average household routers max out at 1Gbps.

The Canadian government defined “good internet speed” as a plan that has at least 50Mbps downloads and 10Mbps uploads. Telcan has several plans that not only meet those requirements but exceed them. More importantly, their plans offer those speeds for affordable monthly payments.

The best Telcan internet plan for Ontario is the Cable 100 plan, which offers 100Mbps downloads, 30Mbps uploads, and unlimited data for just $45/month. That’s fast enough for a household of four to browse the web, stream, and game without any serious lag (also known as “latency”) or interruptions to service.

Residents of Quebec have two comparable options: the Cable Q60 and the Cable Q120. The Cable Q60 is also $45/month, though its speeds are slightly slower, with 60Mbps downloads and 10Mbps uploads. The Cable Q120 is slightly more expensive at $60/month, though its speeds are more inline with the Cable 100, offering 120Mbps downloads and 15Mbps uploads.

No contract

Prepaid plans are the norm with mobility plans, but they’re harder to find when searching for internet service. Many Canadian ISPs lock you into multi-year contracts, with fine print stipulating price hikes after just a few months. That’s not the case with Telcan–every one of their plans are month-to-month, with flat rates that don’t change based on how long you’ve been a customer.

Highly responsive customer service

Telcan has highly responsive customer service, including 24/7 technical support by phone in both English and French. We also like that they offer customer support through a chat agent on their website, allowing you to get quick solutions to common problems without ever having to pick up the phone.

We’ve found smaller ISPs and wireless carriers often provide better, more responsive customer support. That’s certainly the case with Telcan–when we called their customer service line we were connected with a live agent in under two minutes and received an answer to our question immediately.

Referral discount and WhistleOut promo

Telcan offers bill credits for customers who refer their friends. The credit is nothing to sneeze at: referrers earn $30, while the referees earn $10. You can also refer as many friends as you like and earn $30 every time, so long as your friends use Telcan for at least three months.

Telcan is also offering a sweet deal for WhistleOut readers. If you enter promo code WHISTLEOUT at checkout, you’ll pick up a free modem rental with your new plan.

What we don't like

---

No fibre internet

Fibre internet provides the best speeds and the most consistent coverage in Canada. Telcan’s plans only offer cable and DSL, though their Cable 300 offers high-speed internet to Ontario, rivaling many of the best fibre plans in the province.

Limited coverage map

Telcan owns and operates its own network, though it uses Rogers, Bell, and Videotron to carry service to households for “the last mile” of service. Unfortunately, the provider’s network is only in Ontario and Quebec. We think that’s a shame: other provinces, especially rural areas of the country, need more options for affordable home internet. Here’s to hoping the ISP expands in the near future.

If you want to check to see if Telcan’s internet service is available where you live, head to the Telcan website and use their Check Availability feature.

Telcan vs. competitors

---

Telcan’s plans have plenty to admire, but let’s see how they stack up against the competition.

oxio

---

We’ve made it clear we love oxio, placing the young ISP atop our list of the best internet providers in Canada. We’re especially fond of their no-nonsense approach: there are no hidden fees or price hikes. Like Telcan, what you see is what you get.

oxio’s plans, by and large, may be more expensive, but they also offer faster download and upload speeds. In Ontario, you can grab 300Mbps downloads, 30Mbps uploads, and unlimited data for $79/month. In Quebec, you can grab 400Mbps downloads, 50Mbps uploads, and unlimited data for just $75/month. 

Telcan is a worthy opponent, and not a bad choice for cheaper plans, but if you’re looking for the absolute best provider in Ontario and Quebec, your best bet is going with oxio.

TekSavvy

---

TekSavvy is an internet provider offering fibre, cable, and DSL plans to budget-minded customers in Alberta, British Columbia, and Ontario. In many ways, they’re Telcan’s twin: they provide a range of month-to-month plans, affordable high-speed options, and try to position themselves as a no-frills alternative to the Big Three.

TekSavvy’s options, though, are much faster than Telcan’s, with their Fibre 1 Gig Unlimited plan promising 1000Mbps downloads, 750Mbps uploads, and unlimited data for $97.95/month. The Fibre 3 Gig Unlimited is even faster, with 3000Mbps downloads, 3000Mbps uploads, and unlimited data for $117.95/month.

As we mentioned earlier, though, these speeds aren’t necessary (or feasible) for most households. TekSavvy’s most practical household plan is the Fibre 100 Unlimited, which provides 100Mbps downloads, 100Mbps uploads, and unlimited data for $57.95/month plus a $49.95 activation fee. You’ll save $13/month going with Telcan’s Cable 100–not to mention the $39.95 you’ll save at activation!

Fido

---

Fido is primarily known for its wireless plans, but the Rogers MVNO also provides two affordable cable internet plans to Ontario. The Internet 50 and Internet 100 plans offer unlimited data at 50Mbps and 100Mbps download speeds, respectively. Both plans’ upload speeds are limited to 10Mbps.

Telcan is clearly superior here: Fido’s plans offer about the same in terms of speed and data, yet they are more expensive, especially considering that the prices on both plans jump $15/month after a year of service.

Recap: Is Telcan internet right for you?

---

If you’re looking for affordable cable internet in Ontario or Quebec, Telcan is a great option. The provider’s cheap plans, responsive customer service, and month-to-month contracts are an excellent alternative to the behemoths of the Big Three.

If you’re a hardcore gamer or a serious work-from-home professional, though, you might be better off with a high-speed plan from oxio or TekSavvy to ensure you’re never experiencing lag when streaming or video-conferencing.

Methodology: How WhistleOut rates internet plans

WhistleOut evaluates internet plans based on the following criteria:

• Price & value: Not all cheap plans are “bad,” and not all expensive plans are worth it. We look at everything a plan includes and compare it both to other plans from the same provider, as well as similar plans from competitors in the market, to determine whether the value is consistent with the price.
• Speed & data: Faster upload and download speeds usually mean a better user experience, but not every household needs the fastest plan available. Additionally, the more guaranteed high-speed data the plan includes, the better the plan—but there’s also usually a limit to how much you actually need, and we ensure that you’re not overpaying for services or data that will go unused.
• Coverage & network reliability: The breadth of an ISP’s network determines your reception and service. We value ISPs with large coverage maps who can provide quality internet to more Canadians.
• Plan extras and perks: In addition to the basics—speeds and data—some plans throw in freebies like modems, installation, entertainment subscriptions, or service discounts.

Our internet experts leveraged proprietary data and real-world customer feedback to evaluate Telcan internet, analyzing their coverage, cost, and plan options. We considered plan-specific elements, including perks, premium data allowances, and upload/download speeds. After performing extensive research, including customer feedback, we compared Telcan to other comparable ISPs (oxio, TekSavvy, and Fido) in order to place Telcan’s services in context.

Looking for more options for your next internet plan? Be sure to check out our guides to the best internet service providers and the best internet plans in Canada.