5G Business Internet Guide for Canadians
5G business internet in Canada has come a long way since the first networks launched in 2020, but it still has a very specific role. It’s not a replacement for wired internet. It’s a useful backup, a bridge when you can’t get fibre or cable, and a flexible option for temporary or mobile business needs.
If someone is telling you that 5G will replace your wired business connection, they’re either selling you something or looking too far into the future. Here’s where 5G actually stands in 2026, what it’s good for, and when your business should (or shouldn’t) consider it.
The short answer: 5G is excellent as a backup connection, a temporary solution, or as primary internet where wired service isn’t available. For most businesses that have access to fibre or cable, a wired connection will still be more reliable, consistent, and cost-effective as your primary internet.
What Is 5G Business Internet?
5G business internet works by connecting a wireless modem or gateway in your office to a nearby 5G cell tower, which then connects to the carrier’s wider internet network. There are no cables running to your building for the “last mile” connection, which is the main advantage and the main limitation.
Think of it like using your phone as a hotspot, but with a purpose-built device designed to run all day, connect multiple devices, and deliver more consistent performance than a phone ever could.
There are two distinct ways 5G is used for business internet in Canada:
5G Fixed Wireless Access (FWA)
This is a stationary 5G modem placed in your office that connects to a nearby tower. It’s designed to replace or supplement a wired connection. Rogers, Bell, and TELUS all offer 5G home and business internet plans using this approach. The modem stays in one place and is optimized for that location’s signal.
5G Mobile Broadband
This is using a portable 5G device (like a hotspot or a 5G-enabled tablet/laptop) for internet access. It’s useful for mobile workers, pop-up locations, trade shows, or as a portable backup. Plans are typically mobile data plans with data caps.
For business internet purposes, when carriers say “5G business internet,” they usually mean Fixed Wireless Access. That’s what we’ll focus on in this article.
5G Coverage in Canada in 2026
According to the CRTC’s 2025 Canadian Telecommunications Market Report, 5G networks are now available to approximately 93% of the Canadian population. That sounds impressive, and it is, but there are important caveats for business use.
Coverage doesn’t mean consistent coverage. A 5G signal strong enough to stream a YouTube video on your phone is not the same as a 5G signal strong enough to reliably run a business with VoIP phones, video conferencing, and cloud applications for 8 to 10 hours a day. Building materials, distance from the tower, congestion from other users, and even your floor level all affect the actual performance you’ll experience.
Here’s how the three major 5G network operators compare:
| Carrier | 5G Network | Key Details |
|---|---|---|
| Rogers | Canada’s largest 5G network | Covers 60%+ of Canadian households. First to launch 5G standalone (SA) network in Canada (2021). Offers dedicated 5G Home Internet and 5G Business Internet plans. Now also covers former Shaw territories (BC, AB, SK, MB). |
| Bell | Named fastest 5G network (Ookla H2 2025) | Won Best 5G Network, Fastest 5G Network, and Best 5G Gaming Experience awards from Ookla for July to December 2025. Shares tower infrastructure with TELUS in some regions. |
| TELUS | Highest ranked for network consistency | Ranked first by Ookla for mobile network consistency in H2 2025, meaning more stable and usable speeds during everyday use. Shares tower infrastructure with Bell. Strong in Western Canada. |
Rural and remote areas remain significantly underserved. While 99.5% of Canadians have LTE coverage, 5G coverage in rural communities and First Nations reserve areas is well below the 93% national average. If your business is outside a major urban or suburban centre, you may only have access to LTE (4G), not 5G.
New in late 2025: Rogers launched Rogers Satellite in December 2025, the first satellite-to-mobile service in Canada. It provides text messaging and basic app connectivity in areas with no traditional cell coverage. While it’s not internet service, it’s a signal that carriers are working to close coverage gaps. Rogers Satellite is included at no extra cost on all 5G+ plans in Atlantic Canada, where traditional wireless networks only cover about 28% of the region.
What 5G Actually Delivers for Business
There’s a gap between what 5G can theoretically deliver and what you’ll actually get in your office. Here are the real-world numbers:
| Metric | 5G Theory | Real-World Business Use | For Comparison: Fibre |
|---|---|---|---|
| Download speed | Up to 10 Gbps | 50 to 500 Mbps typical | 300 to 8,000 Mbps |
| Upload speed | Up to 1 Gbps | 10 to 50 Mbps typical | 300 to 8,000 Mbps (symmetric) |
| Latency | 1 to 10 ms | 15 to 40 ms typical | 2 to 5 ms |
| Consistency | Varies | Fluctuates with congestion, weather, time of day | Very consistent |
| Data caps | N/A | 200 GB to 1,000 GB per month (Rogers FWA), speeds reduced after cap | Unlimited on all business plans |
The national average mobile download speed in Canada is approximately 70.5 Mbps across all mobile networks (including 4G), according to Statistics Canada data for mid-2025. Average upload speed is just 10.6 Mbps. While 5G specifically will outperform these averages, the point is that real-world wireless speeds are significantly lower than what carriers advertise.
The data cap issue is critical for business. Rogers’ 5G Home Internet plans cap at 200 GB (Essentials, $60/month), 600 GB (Popular, $80/month), or 1,000 GB (Ultimate, $100/month). Once you hit the cap, speeds drop to 10 Mbps down and 2 Mbps up, which is essentially unusable for business operations. A typical small office of 5 to 10 employees uses 200 to 800 GB per month. That means the lower-tier plans may not even last through the month, and even the top-tier plan could run out for heavier users.
5G vs Fibre vs Cable for Business
Here’s the comparison that matters for a business buying decision:
| Feature | 5G Fixed Wireless | Business Fibre | Business Cable |
|---|---|---|---|
| Download speed | 50 to 500 Mbps | 300 to 8,000 Mbps | 300 to 1,500 Mbps |
| Upload speed | 10 to 50 Mbps | Symmetric (matches download) | 30 to 200 Mbps |
| Latency | 15 to 40 ms | 2 to 5 ms | 10 to 30 ms |
| Data caps | 200 to 1,000 GB/month | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Consistency | Variable (weather, congestion, signal) | Very consistent | Generally consistent |
| Installation time | Same day (self-install) | 1 to 12 weeks | 1 to 2 weeks |
| SLA available | No | Yes (DIA plans) | Generally no |
| Contract | Month-to-month typical | 2 to 3 years for best price | Month-to-month or 1 to 2 years |
| Typical cost | $60 to $100/month | $85 to $160/month | $90 to $130/month |
| Weather sensitivity | High (rain, snow, wind affect signal) | Low | Low to moderate |
| Needs line-of-sight | Helps significantly | No | No |
The comparison makes 5G’s role clear: it trades consistency, upload speed, unlimited data, and latency for faster installation, flexibility, and no need for physical cables. Those tradeoffs make sense in specific situations but not as a general replacement for wired internet.
The Real Disadvantages of 5G for Business
The original version of this article listed generic 5G disadvantages. Here are the ones that actually matter when you’re trying to run a business on 5G in Canada:
Data Caps Will Limit You
Every 5G fixed wireless plan in Canada has a data cap. Rogers’ best plan offers 1,000 GB for $100/month. After the cap, speeds drop to 10 Mbps down and 2 Mbps up. For comparison, every wired business internet plan (fibre and cable) from every major Canadian carrier offers unlimited data. This is the single biggest practical limitation for business use.
Upload Speed Is Severely Limited
Real-world 5G upload speeds typically range from 10 to 50 Mbps, and Rogers’ FWA plans cap upload at 10 Mbps even on the top tier. Video conferencing, VoIP, cloud backups, and file sharing are all upload-heavy activities. At 10 Mbps upload, even two or three simultaneous video calls can cause problems.
Performance Varies Throughout the Day
5G is shared wireless spectrum. When the tower is busy (typically during business hours when you need it most), speeds drop. This is the opposite of fibre, which delivers consistent speeds regardless of what your neighbours are doing.
Weather Affects Performance
5G signals, particularly the higher-frequency bands that deliver the fastest speeds, are affected by rain, snow, and even humidity. In a Canadian winter, this is not a minor consideration. Your wired connection doesn’t care about the weather.
No SLA or Uptime Guarantees
No carrier offers a Service Level Agreement on 5G fixed wireless plans. If the service goes down, there’s no contractual commitment to restore it within a specific time, and no financial credit if they don’t. It gets fixed when it gets fixed.
Building Penetration Is Poor
5G signals, especially the mid-band and high-band frequencies that deliver the best speeds, don’t penetrate buildings well. Concrete, metal, low-e glass, and even thick walls can dramatically reduce signal strength. Placing the modem near a window helps, but that may not be practical in every office layout.
When 5G Makes Sense for a Business
✓ As a Backup Connection
This is 5G’s best business use case. Pair a Rogers 5G Home Internet plan ($60 to $100/month) with a primary Bell or TELUS fibre connection and a dual-WAN router. If your fibre goes down, 5G keeps you running. Different carrier, different technology, genuine redundancy.
✓ Where Fibre and Cable Aren’t Available
If your business is in a location without wired internet (rural areas, new developments, remote job sites), 5G or LTE fixed wireless may be your best option alongside Starlink. Check signal strength before committing.
✓ Temporary or Pop-Up Locations
Construction site offices, seasonal businesses, trade shows, events, and temporary retail locations benefit from 5G’s same-day setup and no-contract flexibility. You can’t wait 6 weeks for fibre at a 3-month job site.
✓ Bridging While Waiting for Fibre
If you’ve signed up for fibre but installation takes 8 weeks, a 5G plan can keep your business running in the meantime. Cancel when the fibre is installed.
⚠ Solo Operator or Very Small Team
A business of 1 to 3 people doing basic web browsing, email, and occasional video calls may function on 5G as a primary connection, but only if wired isn’t available. Monitor data usage carefully.
✗ Teams Relying on VoIP or Video
VoIP is extremely sensitive to latency and jitter. 5G’s variable performance will cause call quality issues. If your business depends on phone calls or video conferencing, use wired internet.
Current 5G Fixed Wireless Plans in Canada
As of early 2026, Rogers is the most prominent carrier offering dedicated 5G Home Internet plans that businesses can use. Bell and TELUS offer wireless home internet in select areas but focus their business internet marketing on fibre.
Rogers 5G Home Internet Plans (2025 to 2026)
| Plan | Monthly Cost | Data | Download Speed | Upload Speed | Wi-Fi |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essentials | $60 | 200 GB | Up to 100 Mbps | Up to 10 Mbps | Wi-Fi 6 |
| Popular | $80 | 600 GB | Up to 250 Mbps | Up to 10 Mbps | Wi-Fi 7 |
| Ultimate | $100 | 1,000 GB | Up to 500 Mbps | Up to 10 Mbps | Wi-Fi 7 |
All plans are contract-free and self-install (no technician visit needed). After hitting the data cap, speeds reduce to 10 Mbps down and 2 Mbps up. Rogers uses the Nokia FastMile 5G Gateway 12 with Wi-Fi 7 on the Popular and Ultimate plans.
Notice the upload speed: all three plans cap upload at 10 Mbps. That’s a significant limitation. For context, a single HD video call requires 3 to 4 Mbps of upload. Three simultaneous calls would use most of your available upload bandwidth, leaving almost nothing for file uploads, cloud syncing, or VoIP phones.
Rogers 5G Business Internet
Rogers also offers dedicated 5G Business Internet plans through its business division, with reported speeds ranging from 50 Mbps to 1 Gbps depending on location and network conditions. These plans include features like LTE backup failover and business-grade support. Pricing is typically quote-based, so contact Rogers Business directly for your specific address.
What About Bell and TELUS 5G?
Bell and TELUS have extensive 5G mobile networks, but their fixed wireless internet offerings for business are more limited than Rogers’. Both carriers focus their business internet strategy on fibre. If you’re in a Bell or TELUS service area, their business fibre plans will almost always be the better option for a fixed business location. Their 5G networks are best used via mobile hotspot plans for workers on the go or as backup connections using LTE/5G failover devices.
Using 5G as a Backup Connection
This deserves its own section because it’s where 5G delivers the most value for most businesses.
The logic is simple: when your primary wired connection fails (and it will eventually), a 5G backup on a different carrier’s network keeps your business running. The key principles:
- Different carrier. If your primary internet is Bell fibre, use Rogers 5G as backup. If your primary is Rogers cable, use Bell or TELUS LTE/5G. The entire point is carrier diversity, so a single network failure doesn’t take down both connections.
- Different technology. Fibre plus 5G wireless is better than fibre plus cable, because fibre and cable can share physical infrastructure (like utility poles or conduit). 5G uses a completely separate wireless path.
- Automatic failover. A dual-WAN router (from brands like Peplink, Cradlepoint, or even some Ubiquiti models) can automatically switch your office to the backup connection when the primary fails, often within seconds and without your staff noticing.
For a business where downtime is costly, a Rogers 5G Home Internet plan at $60 to $100/month is cheap insurance. Even the Essentials plan with 200 GB is enough for emergency use: you’re not streaming Netflix on it, you’re keeping email, VoIP, and payment processing running during an outage.
The Rogers 2022 outage lesson: During the Rogers network outage of July 2022, which lasted up to 26 hours and affected over 12 million subscribers, businesses with a backup on a different carrier stayed online. Those with only Rogers services (including businesses on Rogers 5G) went down entirely. The technology of your backup matters less than having it on a completely different carrier’s network.
Not sure what internet setup your business needs?
Our calculator recommends speed, connection type, and budget based on your team size and applications.
Try the Business Internet CalculatorDoes Your Business Actually Need 5G, or Will LTE Work?
This is a question the original article didn’t address, and it’s important. LTE (4G) coverage in Canada reaches 99.5% of the population. Many business backup devices and fixed wireless solutions run on LTE, not 5G, and that’s often perfectly fine.
For backup internet use, the difference between 5G and LTE matters less than you’d think. LTE delivers 25 to 75 Mbps download in most areas, which is enough to keep a small office running during an outage. The higher speeds of 5G are nice to have but rarely the deciding factor for backup use.
Where 5G genuinely outperforms LTE for business:
- Primary connection in areas without wired internet. If 5G is your only option and you need more than basic email, the higher speeds matter.
- Latency-sensitive applications. 5G’s lower latency (15 to 40 ms vs LTE’s 30 to 50 ms) helps with real-time applications, though neither matches fibre’s 2 to 5 ms.
- Capacity in congested areas. 5G handles more simultaneous users better than LTE, which matters in dense commercial areas.
For most backup use cases, an LTE failover device may be cheaper and equally effective. Many carriers offer LTE-based backup solutions without requiring a dedicated 5G plan.
5G vs Starlink for Business
If you’re considering 5G because wired internet isn’t available, you should also evaluate Starlink. Here’s how they compare for business use:
| Feature | 5G Fixed Wireless | Starlink Business |
|---|---|---|
| Download speed | 50 to 500 Mbps | 40 to 220 Mbps typical |
| Upload speed | 10 to 50 Mbps | 8 to 25 Mbps typical |
| Latency | 15 to 40 ms | 25 to 60 ms |
| Data | 200 to 1,000 GB, then throttled | Priority data buckets, then throttled to 1/0.5 Mbps |
| Where it works | Near 5G towers (mostly urban/suburban) | Virtually anywhere with clear sky view |
| Equipment cost | $0 (modem included) | $349+ (dish purchase required) |
| Best for | Urban/suburban areas with strong 5G signal | Rural/remote areas with no wired or 5G option |
In areas with good 5G coverage, 5G generally delivers better performance (faster speeds, lower latency) at a lower cost. In areas without 5G coverage, Starlink may be your best option. For a more detailed comparison, see our Starlink Business guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 5G fast enough for a business?
For download speed, usually yes. Real-world 5G delivers 50 to 500 Mbps, which is plenty for most tasks. The problems are upload speed (often capped at 10 Mbps on FWA plans), data caps (200 to 1,000 GB per month), and consistency (speeds fluctuate with congestion and weather). For a small team doing basic work, it can function. For a team relying on VoIP, video conferencing, or cloud-heavy workflows, wired internet is the better choice.
Should I use 5G as my primary business internet?
Only if wired internet (fibre or cable) isn’t available at your address, or if your business is temporary or mobile. In every other scenario, a wired connection will give you better upload speeds, lower latency, unlimited data, and more consistent performance for a similar price. 5G is excellent as a backup or secondary connection.
What’s the difference between 5G home internet and 5G business internet?
Rogers offers both 5G Home Internet and 5G Business Internet plans. The home plans are publicly priced ($60 to $100/month) with set data caps. Business plans often include features like LTE backup failover, priority support, and custom pricing based on your needs. For a solo operator or very small business, the home plans may suffice. For anything larger, contact the carrier’s business team for a quote.
Does 5G have data caps?
Yes. Every 5G fixed wireless plan in Canada has a monthly data allowance. Rogers’ plans range from 200 GB to 1,000 GB. Once you exceed your allowance, speeds are reduced to 10 Mbps down and 2 Mbps up. This is a major difference from wired business plans, which all offer unlimited data from major carriers. For more details, see our data caps guide.
Is 5G reliable enough for VoIP phone systems?
Generally, no. VoIP is extremely sensitive to latency, jitter, and packet loss. 5G’s variable performance, especially during peak hours and bad weather, causes call quality issues like choppy audio, dropped calls, and one-way audio. If your business relies on a VoIP phone system, use fibre or cable as your primary connection. You could use 5G as an emergency failover for VoIP, but call quality during failover will be noticeably lower.
Which carrier has the best 5G in Canada?
Ookla’s Speedtest Intelligence data for the second half of 2025 found no statistically significant difference between the three major carriers for overall mobile performance. Bell was named fastest 5G network, while TELUS ranked highest for network consistency. Rogers has the largest overall 5G footprint. For business internet specifically, what matters most is signal strength at your specific address, so test before committing.
