Residential Telephone Service Survey

Nearly three-quarters (74.3%) of Canadian households indicated they had a cell phone in 2008, up from (72.4%) in 2007.

The proportion of households with cell phones was highest in Alberta (84.5%), Saskatchewan (78.0%), British Columbia (77.8%) and Ontario (76.8%). Quebec had the lowest rate of cell phone use at 65.5% of households.

In 2008, 8.0% of households reported having cell phones only, up from 6.4% in 2007.

Younger households were much more likely to use only a cell phone, with 34.4% of households comprised solely of adults aged between 18 and 34 relying exclusively on cell phones. Among all other households the rate was 4.5%.

In 2008, two-thirds (67.0%) of the households that used only cell phones were renters rather than homeowners.

The proportion of households without any phone service remained unchanged from 2007 at 0.9%.

Note: The Residential Telephone Service Survey, conducted since the fall of 1998, monitors residential phone penetration rates across all provinces in Canada.

Definitions, data sources and methods: survey number 4426.

For more information on related products and services, or to enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact Client Services (toll-free 1-800-461-9050; 613-951-3321; fax: 613-951-4527; ssd@statcan.gc.ca), Special Surveys Division.