Satellite dishes used for broadcast and data communications in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Photo: Dano / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
How fixed wireless access works
Fixed wireless access (FWA) delivers internet by transmitting a radio signal between a ground-based tower and a receiver antenna mounted on a building. The connection is point-to-multipoint: one tower serves multiple customer premises within a coverage radius, typically several kilometres depending on terrain and frequency band used.
In Canada, licensed and licence-exempt spectrum bands are both used for fixed wireless deployments. Common frequencies include the 3.5 GHz band (historically allocated to fixed services) and various bands in the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz ranges for shorter-range deployments. The federal government has also allocated portions of the 3800 MHz band through ISED spectrum auctions to support rural broadband expansion.
The main limiting factor for fixed wireless is line-of-sight. Dense forest, hills, or other obstructions between the customer premises and the tower can degrade signal quality or make service unavailable entirely. This constraint is particularly relevant in parts of British Columbia, northern Ontario, and the Quebec Laurentians, where topography is varied.
Typical fixed wireless characteristics in Canada
How satellite broadband works
Satellite internet transmits data between a dish installed at the customer premises and a satellite in orbit. The technology has changed significantly with the deployment of low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellations, which operate at altitudes of roughly 300–600 km rather than the 35,000 km altitude of traditional geostationary satellites.
The reduced altitude of LEO satellites substantially lowers latency compared to geostationary systems. Where a geostationary satellite connection typically produces round-trip times of 600 ms or more — making real-time applications difficult — LEO systems have demonstrated latency in the range of 20–60 ms in Canadian testing environments.
Starlink, operated by SpaceX, is the most widely used LEO satellite internet option in Canada as of 2025. It is available across most of the country, including remote northern areas that are beyond the reach of any terrestrial broadband infrastructure. Telesat's Lightspeed constellation, a Canadian LEO project, is in development with anticipated service in the coming years.
Typical LEO satellite characteristics in Canada
Cost structure differences
Monthly pricing for both technologies varies considerably by provider, region, and plan tier. Fixed wireless providers in rural Canada tend to offer plans in the range of CAD $60–$120 per month for residential service, often with data caps and overage charges. Local and regional providers — including several that have received federal broadband funding — sometimes offer competitive rates in specific communities.
Satellite internet, particularly LEO-based options, carries a higher upfront equipment cost. The terminal hardware for residential LEO service requires a one-time purchase, and monthly fees reflect both the service and the ongoing constellation maintenance costs. As of publicly available plan information, monthly residential rates for LEO satellite service in Canada sit between CAD $120–$160, though this varies by plan tier.
Both categories may offer subsidised or reduced-cost options for remote Indigenous and northern communities through targeted government programs, including CRTC Broadband Fund awards and provincial digital equity initiatives.
Performance in adverse weather
Fixed wireless connections are generally less affected by precipitation than geostationary satellite connections, but can be degraded by heavy rain, ice, or snow accumulation on the receiver. Tower outages during severe storms affect all customers served by a given tower simultaneously.
LEO satellite dishes are designed with built-in heating to melt snow accumulation, addressing one of the reliability issues that historically affected satellite internet in Canadian climates. Performance during heavy rain is generally better than with geostationary systems due to the shorter signal path, though dense precipitation can still affect throughput.
Use cases and practical suitability
Fixed wireless is often considered the preferred option where it is available and where signal quality is adequate, primarily because of lower upfront costs and more predictable latency. It is a reasonable option for general household use, video calling, and small business operations that do not require upload-intensive tasks.
Satellite broadband fills coverage gaps where no terrestrial infrastructure exists — a significant category in Canada given the geography of many northern and remote communities. It has become a viable primary connection for households and businesses in areas where fixed wireless towers have not been deployed, including many First Nations communities, remote farms, and off-highway commercial operations.
For users requiring consistent low latency — for example, latency-sensitive industrial monitoring applications — neither option fully replicates wired fibre performance, but LEO satellite and well-configured fixed wireless can both support standard business applications adequately in most cases.
Coverage mapping resources
The CRTC maintains a national broadband coverage database that allows addresses to be checked against reported provider coverage. ISED's Broadband Canada mapping tool provides an additional layer of coverage information. Both tools rely on provider-reported data and may not reflect actual conditions at specific locations. For fixed wireless, physical site surveys by local providers are the most reliable way to confirm service availability.
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