8Gbps Fibre Could Reach More Homes, But at a Lower Price Than Today
Locals may soon snag ultra-fast fibre through smaller ISPs, with prices that don’t break the bank. This shift comes as Bell’s move helps open the door for cheaper, wholesale 8Gbps plans to customers.
Bell kicked off 8Gbps fibre plans earlier this year and asked the CRTC to allow an 8Gbps speed tier for wholesale services. The Commission has now given a temporary green light to that request.
The CRTC requires big, established ISPs to share their networks with smaller firms. This lets let them sell service to customers while keeping prices fair. The rule also sets what those services pay to use the wholesale network.
Right now, the regulator has approved interim wholesale rates for speeds up to 3Gbps for Bell. But in a recent order, Bell asked to keep the same price for the new 8Gbps tier.
The approval is not final. It sits under review as the wholesale high-speed access framework is studied. Things could shift as the framework evolves.
What the Price Picture Looks Like Right Now
At this stage, the new 8Gbps wholesale rate is split into two paths: gateway access service (GAS) and disaggregated broadband service (DBS). The two are similar, yet they carry different fees for ISPs using the wholesale route. GAS charges a site visit fee of $244.13 and a monthly access fee of $78.03. DBS asks for a $247.90 service charge and a monthly access fee of $121.79.
While we can’t know the exact end price yet, a rough view comes from looking at current 1.5Gbps wholesale rates and what ISPs charge for the same speed. Bell’s wholesale price for fibre up to 1.5Gbps in Ontario and Quebec sits at about $68.94.
Here are some snapshot prices for 1.5Gbps fibre from in-market plans:
– Bell: $110 per month on a two-year term, or $135 per month with no term and no promos.
– Telus: $79 per month on a two-year term, or $130 per month with no term or promos.
– TekSavvy: $89.95 per month for 12 months, regular $119.95.
These prices show how much consumers could pay once 8Gbps shows up in a wholesale feed. The wholesale rate tends to sit a bit lower than what customers see on bigger plans, especially during promos.
A few notes to keep in mind. Prices change by location; I’m in Hamilton, Ontario, so figures here reflect that area. TekSavvy’s setup likely uses Bell’s wholesale, since Rogers isn’t streaming wireline service where I live. Telus is known to rely on Bell’s wholesale network in Ontario for its fibre service.
With the wholesale price in view, expect monthly rates to be roughly $10 to $20 above the wholesale number during early promos. That means a rough ballpark of about $88 to $98 per month for 8Gbps, though nothing is set in stone yet. It’s a far cry from Bell’s own 8Gbps plan at $160 per month.
What This Could Mean for Your Home Speed
Will every ISP jump on the chance to offer 8Gbps? It’s still early, and the rate for 8Gbps was pegged to the same level as the 3Gbps tier. Beyond Bell’s own option, I didn’t find other providers already offering 3Gbps plans.
Still, the stage is set for more players to add 8Gbps choices. If the wholesale framework remains stable, we should see more circuits opened up, with price pressure likely driving down the cost for end users.
This move could push more ISPs to test 8Gbps plans in select regions, bringing faster streams to gamers, streamers, and cloud users. The key factor will be how quickly wholesale agreements spread and how aggressively ISPs price the new tiers.
Keeping an Eye on the Rollout
Bottom line: the wholesale framework is in motion, and Bell’s request could unlock faster speeds for more people. The current 3Gbps baseline shows that the market is open to high-speed wholesale deals, and the new 8Gbps option is under close watch.
If more ISPs join, we could see a real shift in how fast homes connect, with pricing that makes 8Gbps more accessible. For now, the path forward looks clear: faster speeds, more competition, and a watchful eye on wholesale rules.
Source: CRTC
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