A quarter of Canadian users have lost their Internet connection
There are also disruptions in cell phone service. Some people can't even call 911.
Rogers, which serves about 10 million wireless subscribers and 2.25 million retail Internet subscribers, reported major technical glitches on the morning of July 8. Overall Internet traffic in Canada on Friday morning was 75% of normal levels.
Not only ordinary people were affected. Radio broadcasting was interrupted, Internet banking, online and bank terminal payments for goods and services, and interbank transfers stopped working. The apps for ordering food and cabs do not work, and all companies engaged in these activities suffer losses.
The Bank of Montreal said the disruption has disrupted branches across the country. Some motorists cannot pay on the Confederation Bridge between Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick because they now only accept cash.
The Toronto Police are on record as saying that 911 can be reached and there is no problem on their end. Only Rogers subscribers have problems. This is one of the main problems of the company: it was forgiven for a similar failure in 2021, when various commercial organizations suffered losses, but in Canada there is a law obliging the cellular operator to always and everywhere guarantee the possibility to call 911.
Reuters news agency wrote that the failure occurred against the backdrop of an attempt to take over rival company Shaw Communications. The deal has so far been postponed at the request of Canadian antitrust authorities. Canada has some of the world's most expensive tariffs for cell phone and Internet service, and the government has already tried to force major companies, including Rogers, to lower prices, but so far it has had no tangible results.
Now, when the technical failure of one provider has brought so many problems even to those who do not use its services, but simply want, for example, to pay for goods in a store, there are increasing statements that the monopoly is dangerous and the state must fight it with tougher methods. There is another option — to make cellular and Internet service controlled by the federal government, like railroads and other Crown businesses.
