The death of fixed telephony seems to be announced. Three of the main companies that offer this service in Quebec have all recorded a significant drop in their number of subscribers in recent years. Will we be dealing with a slow or fast death? Everything will depend on the speed at which these companies will succeed in extending their mobile network and improving its reliability, believes an expert.
Jacob, a young person in high school, hesitates for long seconds when asked how to make a call with a landline. Her friend Maya gave up before he even tried. I never used it
she launches.
Bell and Quebecor (Videotron) saw their subscriptions to wireless telephony increase between 2019 and 2024. (Archives photo)
Photo: Radio-Canada / Lysbertte surrounded
These adolescents encountered in the park are representative of a generation that grew up with a cell phone. Born at the turn of 2010, they are never served as a fixed telephone handset and they do not think they need to do it one day.
Adults who have known the beautiful years of this technology abandoning it today. Annie has not touched a traditional phone for five years, Rachel for four years. For these two people, the idea of paying for several telephone lines at the same time has no meaning.
The general disinterest in fixed telephony has been observed for a few years in major telecommunications companies. Since 2019, Bell and Quebecor (Videotron) have lost 32 % and 41 % of their subscribers to this service respectively. At Cogeco, the drop has been 9 % since an acquisition in 2021.
Subscriptions to the wired telephony service at Québecor (Videotron) from 2019 to 2024.
Photo: Radio-Canada / Guylain Côté
Cellular domination
This trend does not surprise the professor at the IT department at all at the University of Quebec in Montreal (UQAM), Halima Elbiaze at all. It does not surprise me given the introduction of mobile phones which offer better flexibility. It can accommodate people when they move.
In 1876, when the Canadian Alexander Graham Bell invented the classic phone, consumer needs were far from the same. In terms of communicating voice or video, text, fixed telephony can no longer meet this need.
If the trend is maintained, the fixed line could disappear within the next 10 years, Ms. Elbiaze believes. It comes, if we manage to extend the cover even in distant regions.
An essential service?
The fixed line is still widely used in companies and in the security industry. Today most alarm systems are still connected with fixed lines
explains the professor to theUqam. Fixed telephony is just a small fraction of using these infrastructure.
Everywhere in Canada, including in Mauricie and Center-du-Québec, many communities are still not properly served by the cellular network. The fixed line then becomes the only option.
Many municipalities in the region do not have access to a stable cell phone service and demand better coverage.
Photo : Radio-Canada / Fanchon Aubry
Fixed telephony is still more reliable compared to mobile telephony. We can find ourselves in corners that are not covered, for example, in distant regions.
Several young parents have also entrusted Radio-Canada to have subscribed to this service because their child can now be careful and he must have a way to call 911 in an emergency.
A disturbing movement
Bell and Videotron have the advantage of being already well positioned on the Internet and Mobile Telephony Services market. These companies therefore succeed in keeping part of their customers by offering them cell plans.
Subscriptions to residential telephony services at Bell from 2019 to 2024.
Photo: Radio-Canada / Guylain Côté
Bell recognizes the phenomenon and describes it as a technological substitution for wireless and internet services
in its most recent annual report.
In return, the Canadian telecommunications giant notes: An increased demand for wireless and IP -based vocal options, often in the context of grouped services that include mobile, Internet and television services
says in writing its main manager for media relations, David Marcille.
Subscriptions to the wired telephony service at Cogeco from 2019 to 2024.
Photo: Radio-Canada / Guylain Côté
At Cogeco, wireless services are underdeveloped and this could cause significant consequences. The drop in the number of fixed line subscribers: could greatly affect its activities, its financial situation, its business opportunities and its operating results
can we read in its annual report 2024.
Cogeco did not wish to react. Videotron did not answer questions from Radio-Canada.
