Best Internet Providers in Ottawa

By Kevin Kearney

Last updated 30 November 2023

The best internet providers in Ottawa and Gatineau are Bell, TekSavvy, and oxio for their balance of speedy plans with affordable alternatives.

Which is the best internet provider in your area of Ottawa? Keep reading below for all of our top picks.

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Ottawa—the nation’s capital—has plenty of options for intertnet coverage. However, what neighbourhood you live in can severely limit your options for home internet service.

What's happening

WhistleOut Canada watches for trends in the internet industry. Here's what's going on this month:

We've updated our list of the best internet providers in Canada, including several hot deals on high-speed plans.
Starlink is now available in most of Canada, making their satellite internet service an enticing option for remote areas.
We’ve got our eyes on the best cheap internet plans and the best internet plans for students.

Internet connection types in Ottawa

Connection type	Number of plans	Starting price	Top speed
Cable	58	$25/month	1.5Gbps
Fibre	25	$40/month	8Gbps
DSL	8	$24.95/month	50Mbps

Top 3 internet service providers in Ottawa

Bell

4.5 out of 5 overall

Up to 8Gbps speeds
No contract needed
TV and home phone bundling available

Bell gets top marks in most of Ontario because of reliable service and fast download speeds up to 8Gbps, which is the fastest internet speed available in Canada. Bell has plenty of other slower, and cheaper, plans available for households that are looking for more basic connectivity.

TekSavvy

4 out of 5 overall

Up to 3Gbps speeds
No contract required
TV and home phone bundling available

TekSavvy offers 3Gbps download speeds to more addresses in Ottawa—and a lower monthly rate—than Bell. You can save even more when you opt for a slower plan. We recommend 300Mbps or 500Mbps for the best value, or you can choose a DSL connection to get the same reliability from Bell without the high monthly fees. TekSavvy also offers live TV services, so changing internet providers doesn't mean you have to cut the cable.

oxio

4 out of 5 overall

Up to 1Gbps speeds
No activation, installation, or modem fee
No contract required

If you’re a Canadian looking for a new internet plan, it’s probably because you want a cheaper monthly bill. Our recommendation for a low-cost alternative in Ottawa is oxio. This independent internet provider keeps costs low and passes those savings onto its customers. The provider performed well in our service review, with high marks for its affordable plans and customer-first ethos.

All of oxio's plans include unlimited internet and the popular eero 6 Wi-Fi router, making this one of the best value plans on the market. We recommend the Internet 75 plan, which is perfect for a household looking for basic internet.

Popular Ottawa internet plans

#1	Diallog	100%	Go Plans from $25/mo+ $44.25 Upfront
#2	oxio	24%	Go Plans from $50/mo
#3	Bell	24%	Go Plans from $60/mo+ $60 Upfront
#4	Rogers	19%	Go Plans from $85/mo+ $110 Upfront
#5	Distributel	18%	Go Plans from $39.95/mo

Fastest internet providers in Ottawa

The home internet landscape in Ottawa is diverse: some areas allow for speeds up to 8Gbps while others max out at 100Mbps in older neighbourhoods. The choice of internet providers is equally diverse, with third-party providers help drive down the prices of Ottawa’s fastest internet options.

#1	Bell	Bell Gigabit Fibe 3.0 Fibre 3000/3000 Mbps $120/mo Go	$120/mo	Go
#2	Rogers	Rogers Pro 2G Internet Fibre 2000/200 Mbps $130/mo Go	$130/mo	Go
#3	TekSavvy	TekSavvy 1.5 Gbps Unlimited Fibre 1500/940 Mbps $99.95/mo Go	$99.95/mo	Go
#4	VMedia	VMedia Internet 1024 Cable 1024/50 Mbps Deal: FREE modem rental included $89.95/mo Go	$89.95/mo	Go
#5	Diallog	Diallog Gigabit Cable 1000/30 Mbps $42.50/mo Go	$42.50/mo	Go

Bell

4.5 out of 5 overall

Fastest available plan speeds: 8Gbps, 3Gbps, 1.5Gbps
Fastest connection types: Fibre

There is no faster internet connection than the Bell Fibe 8.0 plan available in Ottawa and Gatineau. Customers receive 8Gbps download speeds and unlimited data.

TekSavvy

4 out of 5 overall

Fastest available plan speeds: 3Gbps, 1024Mbps, 1Gbps
Fastest connection types: Fibre, cable

TekSavvy succeeds in coverage where Bell falters. Most residents can access reliable high-speed internet from TekSavvy, whether they are in Ottawa or Gatineau. TekSavvy doesn’t offer fibre-optic internet in the Ottawa region, but cable internet download speeds reach 1Gbps in Ottawa using access to the Rogers network.

Rogers

4 out of 5 overall

Fastest available plan speeds: 1.5Gbps, 500Mbps, 150Mbps
Fastest connection types: Cable

Rogers has the best balance of speed and coverage in Ottawa but is also one of the most expensive. Bundle your internet plan with cable TV, phone, and Rogers Smart Home Monitoring to have all your monthly services on one bill (while saving some money too).

Distributel

3.5 out of 5 overall

Fastest available plan speeds: 1Gbps, 500Mbps, 300Mbps
Fastest connection types: Cable

Distributel has a great reputation for reliability and service. As a third-party provider, it taps into existing telecommunications infrastructure to reach your home. All plan options include adequate download and upload speeds, free installation, and discounted rates for six months when you sign a one-year contract. Live TV streaming is also available as an additional service. You can connect to the internet with Distributel at a fraction of the rate you’d pay a major internet provider.

Diallog

4.5 out of 5 overall

Fastest available plan speeds: 1Gbps, 500Mbps, 75Mbps
Fastest connection types: Cable

It's tempting to reach for the big names, but some of the best internet providers in Ottawa are some of the lesser known companies. Diallog did well in our service review, due mainly to their emphasis on cheap high-speed internet for everyday users. The low price of high-speed options like their Gigabit plan places them among the best internet providers in Ottawa.

VMedia

3 out of 5 overall

Fastest available plan speeds: 1024Mbps, 500Mbps, 300Mbps
Fastest connection types: Cable

If you’re hesitant about switching away from Rogers or Bell because you don’t want to lose your cable TV services, then we recommend taking a closer look at VMedia. With an Apple TV, Fire TV, or Roku stick on each television in your home, VMedia delivers complete TV packages to every screen, big or small. You still get access to network channels—like CBC, CTV, and Global—and specialty channels, including 24-hour news, sports, and movies. Home internet plans with VMedia may cost more than other discount ISPs, but it’s still good value.

#1	TekSavvy	TekSavvy 15 Mbps Unlimited Cable 15/2 Mbps $24.95/mo Go	$24.95/mo	Go
#2	Diallog	Diallog Plus Cable 75/10 Mbps $25/mo Go	$25/mo	Go
#3	VMedia	VMedia Internet 6 Fibre 6/0.8 Mbps $32.95/mo Go	$32.95/mo	Go
#4	Telcan	Telcan Internet 10 Mbps ADSL 10/1 Mbps Deal: $0 Modem rental and activation with promo code WHISTLEOUT $38/mo Go	$38/mo	Go
#5	Distributel	Distributel Unlimited Fibre 150 Mbps Fibre 150/150 Mbps Deal: Limited Time Offer: FREE installation & activation when you join DistribuTel on a 1 year term $39.95/mo Go	$39.95/mo	Go

Best internet providers in Ottawa: FAQs

What is the best ISP in Ottawa?

The best internet service provider in Ottawa-Gatineau is Bell. Customers can also subscribe to TV, home phone, cellular services, and more to simplify bill management and lower monthly costs. Bell’s plans are also the most expensive, so WhistleOut Canada recommends TekSavvy and Diallog as high-value alternatives.

Who has the fastest internet in Ottawa?

Bell offers the fastest internet in Ottawa and Gatineau. Download speeds on Bell’s fastest plan are over 100% faster than anything offered by its competition, making it no surprise that Bell was ranked the best major internet provider in Canada for video gaming by PCMag in 2022.

How much is the internet in Ottawa?

Home internet prices in Ottawa range from $24.95/month for 15Mbps download speed to $140/month for 8Gbps speeds on Bell Fibe fibre-optic internet.

How do I find cheap internet in Ottawa?

You can find cheap internet in Ottawa by using theWhistleOut Canada internet plan search tool. It will help you find all home internet providers in your area. Many are third-party resellers who offer the same services as the big-name brands, but for a fraction of the cost.

What internet speed do I need in Ottawa?

We recommend a home internet plan with at least 150Mbps for most Canadians. An average household with four people who stream a lot of premium TV and movies will find 300Mbps or higher results in reliable connectivity. Even casual internet users should subscribe to a plan with at least 50Mbps download and 10Mbps upload speed, as services like video calls require a fast connection in both directions.