Are you utilizing a modem and/or Wi-Fi router equipped by your web service supplier? Chances are high, your web efficiency is healthier than somebody utilizing their very own {hardware}.
So says impartial analytics firm Opensignal in a report diving into the efficiency of modems and routers — dubbed gateway gadgets — offered by web service suppliers (ISPs).
Opensignal discovered that ISP-provided dwelling Wi-Fi gateways supply on common increased ‘Broadband Constant High quality’ in comparison with third-party {hardware} — at the least 12 per cent higher. Furthermore, Opensignal discovered that Bell’s Wi-Fi gateways supply the most important enchancment over third-party gateways.
The Broadband Constant Qualtiy metric measures community expertise from the angle of a single machine and whether or not the community can constantly meet the wants of widespread duties on that machine. That features taking a look at efficiency metrics like obtain and add speeds, latency, jitter, and extra. These can learn extra concerning the methodology on Opensignal’s web site.
Per information Opensignal collected between Oct. 1 and Dec. 29, 2025, Bell-provided Wi-Fi gear provided about 17.5 per cent higher constant high quality than third-party gear. Telus gear, in the meantime, was 13.5 per cent higher and Rogers got here in at 12.7 per cent higher.
Notably, all three ISPs not too long ago launched improved Wi-Fi gateways sporting newer Wi-Fi 7 expertise, Rogers first in June 2025, Telus in July, after which Bell in September. Opensignal notes that utilizing newer Wi-Fi requirements, like Wi-Fi 6 or 7, may also help enhance efficiency, but it surely’s solely a small piece of the puzzle.
Rogers, for instance, had extra clients utilizing Wi-Fi 6 and seven than Bell or Telus did, however the firm’s gear nonetheless had the bottom general constant high quality improve. One other issue Opensignal foudn was the kind of connection. Bell’s gateway, for instance, had increased efficiency elevate as a result of it used 5GHz connections greater than 2.4GHz. 5GHz connections are sometimes quicker and fewer congested, so Bell’s elevated use of these connections additional boosted efficiency.
One other fascinating element Opensignal highlighted is Canada’s shifting web market, which can improve the function that gateway {hardware} performs in dwelling community efficiency. With the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Fee (CRTC) opening up fibre web infrastructure to the wholesale program, enabling ISPs to resell web providers utilizing different suppliers’ networks, the community itself will play a smaller function in figuring out efficiency.
Bell and Telus in Ontario are a terrific instance of this in apply. Telus expanded its fibre web choices into Ontario utilizing Bell’s fibre community — a lot to Bell’s chagrin. However as a result of Telus makes use of Bell’s fibre infrastructure, Ontario clients would have the identical web efficiency from both supplier because it’s the identical fibre line coming into their dwelling. As a substitute, the principle differentiator can be the Wi-Fi gateway and, at the least from Opensignal’s information, it looks as if Bell’s has a slight edge over Telus’ gateway.
Opensignal’s findings have been notably notable for me, as somebody who has tried many various routers throughout many various suppliers through the years. There was undoubtedly a time when utilizing third-party {hardware} produced higher outcomes. For instance once I lived in Whitby, Ont., I typically used my very own Asus router as an alternative of the one offered by my ISPs on the time as a result of it truly gave me a lot quicker speeds.
Nevertheless, since transferring to Hamilton just a few years in the past, I’ve discovered my ISP-provided gear to be greater than succesful. I used to be with Bell utilizing the corporate’s unique Giga Hub for some time, and extra not too long ago switched to Cogeco (which provided me the identical web pace for lower than Bell after the corporate saved jacking up my charges each few months).
My solely gripe with Cogeco’s router up to now is that it doesn’t let me disable band steering, a function that mechanically connects gadgets to 2.4 or 5GHz relying on which one delivers higher efficiency. In my expertise, band steering doesn’t play properly with some good dwelling tech that solely works on 2.4GHz, which suggests some issues like good lights or my Sonos speaker have common connection points. I had the identical situation on Bell’s Giga Hub, however I used to be capable of flip of band steering at the least.
All that is to say, when you’re having issues with your private home web, chances are you’ll need to begin by adjusting your modem/router gear. Should you’re utilizing a third-party route, making an attempt utilizing the one your ISP offered. And in case your ISP-provided {hardware} doesn’t work nice, it may be price seeing in case your ISP has newer {hardware} you may change to — who is aware of, it would truly work higher.
These can learn the total Opensignal report on the corporate’s web site.
Pictures credit score: Opensignal
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