Imagine a trillion-dollar web of invisible signals and a half-billion connected lives pulsating across the continent; this is the heart of today's North American telecom industry, a sector undergoing a profound transformation from legacy services to lightning-fast 5G and fiber networks.
Key Takeaways
- The North American telecommunications market was valued at approximately $450 billion in 2023, with projections to reach $620 billion by 2030 at a CAGR of 4.6%.
- US telecom services revenue reached $1.47 trillion in 2022, dominated by wireless at 42% share.
- Canadian telecom revenue grew 2.1% YoY to CAD 59.2 billion in 2022.
- North America had 340 million mobile subscribers in 2023, with US at 280 million and penetration rate of 127%.
- US wireless subscriptions totaled 484 million in Q4 2023, including 127 million postpaid phone subs.
- Canadian mobile subscribers numbered 34.7 million in 2023, with 92% smartphone penetration.
- US average fixed broadband speed 242 Mbps download in Q4 2023.
- Canada median mobile download speed 120 Mbps in H2 2023.
- Mexico average fixed broadband speed 60 Mbps in 2023.
- North American 5G base stations exceeded 1 million in 2023.
- US 5G connections reached 193 million by end-2023.
- Canada deployed 15,000+ 5G sites by 2023.
- North American tower count 200,000+ cell sites in 2023.
- US telecom capex totaled $68 billion in 2023, led by wireless.
- Canada telecom infrastructure spend CAD 8 billion in 2023.
North American telecom is steadily growing, led by increasing 5G and fiber investments.
Competition and Market Share
- US wireless market share Verizon 32%, AT&T 30%, T-Mobile 29% in 2023 subs.
- Canada mobile market Rogers 33%, Bell 31%, Telus 26% revenue share 2023.
- Mexico mobile Telcel 63%, Movistar 18%, AT&T Mexico 15% subs 2023.
- US fixed broadband Comcast 22M subs leader 2023.
- AT&T wireless ARPU $50.50 highest postpaid 2023.
- T-Mobile net adds leader 32.3M since merger 2023.
- Verizon enterprise market share 35% in US 2023.
- Charter (Spectrum) 2nd largest US broadband 14M subs 2023.
- Bell Canada wireline revenue share 35% market 2023.
- Videotron (Quebecor) growing mobile share 7% in Canada 2023.
- US MVNO market share 8% total wireless 2023.
- Mexico fixed broadband Telmex 50% market share 2023.
- Dish Network wireless subs 9M but <1% share struggling 2023.
- Xfinity Mobile 7M lines, 1.5% US wireless share 2023.
- Freedom Mobile (Quebecor) 2M subs, 6% Canada market 2023.
- US cable MVNOs 15M lines total 2023.
- Telus Quebecor mobile virtual network agreement boosts share 2023.
- América Móvil fixed market share declining to 45% in Mexico 2023.
- Verizon Fios 4M broadband subs, 3% US fixed share 2023.
- AT&T DirecTV Stream 5M subs but declining pay TV share 2023.
- T-Mobile MVNO partnerships with 100+ brands 2023.
- Canada wholesale mobile access Freedom Pop share growth 2023.
- US 5G market T-Mobile 45% coverage share leader 2023.
- Mexico Total Play 15% fixed broadband share challenger 2023.
- Rogers post-Shaw 40% cable market share Canada 2023.
Competition and Market Share Interpretation
In the North American telecom circus, the Big Three carriers in each country perform a tightrope act of near-equal balance, while a few nimble challengers and stubborn giants in adjacent rings—from cable giants to virtual operators—scramble for the scraps, proving that even in a market of titans, there’s always room for a clever disruptor to shake the tightrope.
Infrastructure and Investment
- North American tower count 200,000+ cell sites in 2023.
- US telecom capex totaled $68 billion in 2023, led by wireless.
- Canada telecom infrastructure spend CAD 8 billion in 2023.
- Mexico tower infrastructure investments $2 billion USD 2023.
- Verizon capex $18.5 billion in 2023 for 5G/fiber.
- AT&T capex $19.1 billion primarily wireless and fiber 2023.
- T-Mobile capex $9.4 billion focused on 5G expansion 2023.
- Rogers capex CAD 3.2 billion post-Shaw merger 2023.
- Telus capex CAD 3.0 billion for fiber/5G 2023.
- América Móvil capex $8.5 billion in Mexico telecom 2023.
- US fiber deployment added 10 million homes passed in 2023.
- Canadian government $2.75 billion rural broadband fund allocated 2023.
- Mexico IFT spectrum auctions raised $1.8 billion for 5G 2023.
- North America small cell deployments 150,000 new sites 2023.
- US towerco SBA Communications 40,000 sites owned 2023.
- Crown Castle US towers 40,000+ portfolio 2023.
- American Tower Mexico 12,000 sites 2023.
- Submarine cable investments $5 billion in NA transatlantic links 2023.
- US BEAD program $42.5 billion for broadband infra 2023 awards.
- Rogers-Shaw merger infrastructure integration cost CAD 1B 2023.
- Telus Quebecor JV for tower sharing 5,000 sites 2023.
- North America data center colocation capex $15 billion 2023.
- Verizon MEC (multi-access edge) investments $1B 2023.
- AT&T California Middle Mile grants $75M for fiber 2023.
- US wireless backhaul fiber upgrades 50,000 km new 2023.
- Canada 5G spectrum auction 3.5 GHz raised CAD 2.5B 2023.
- Mexico 2.5 GHz auction for 5G $450M proceeds 2023.
- T-Mobile Sprint merger capex synergies $4B annual by 2023.
- North America dark fiber leases grew 20% in 2023.
Infrastructure and Investment Interpretation
North America’s telecom industry spent a king’s ransom in 2023 to ensure your streaming buffers less and your dropped calls become a slightly rarer form of modern rage.
Market Size and Revenue
- The North American telecommunications market was valued at approximately $450 billion in 2023, with projections to reach $620 billion by 2030 at a CAGR of 4.6%.
- US telecom services revenue reached $1.47 trillion in 2022, dominated by wireless at 42% share.
- Canadian telecom revenue grew 2.1% YoY to CAD 59.2 billion in 2022.
- Mexico's telecom market revenue hit MXN 1.2 trillion in 2023, with mobile data driving 35% growth.
- North American 5G revenue contribution to total telecom revenue was 12% in 2023, expected to rise to 28% by 2028.
- Verizon's 2023 revenue from North American operations was $134.8 billion, up 0.5% YoY.
- AT&T reported $120.7 billion in US telecom revenue for 2023.
- T-Mobile US revenue surged 9.5% to $78.6 billion in 2023.
- Rogers Communications (Canada) generated CAD 19.9 billion in telecom revenue in 2023.
- Telus (Canada) telecom revenue was CAD 15.0 billion in 2023, up 8%.
- América Móvil (Mexico) reported $47.3 billion USD revenue in 2023 from telecom.
- North American enterprise telecom spending reached $150 billion in 2023.
- Fixed broadband revenue in North America was $95 billion in 2022.
- Wireless revenue per subscriber in US averaged $50.42 monthly in Q4 2023.
- Canadian mobile revenue per user (ARPU) was CAD 52.30 in 2023.
- Mexico telecom EBITDA margin averaged 42% in 2023.
- North America IoT telecom revenue projected at $25 billion by 2025.
- US cable TV revenue declined 5% to $90 billion in 2023.
- Bell Canada revenue from wireline telecom was CAD 10.2 billion in 2023.
- Total North American telecom capex hit $120 billion in 2023.
- Spectrum auction revenues in US totaled $85 billion since 1994, with $23B in recent AWS-3.
- North American wholesale telecom revenue was $40 billion in 2023.
- VoIP revenue in North America grew to $35 billion in 2023.
- Mexican fixed telecom revenue reached MXN 250 billion in 2023.
- US MVNO revenue contribution to wireless market was 8% or $16 billion in 2023.
- Canadian pay TV revenue fell to CAD 5.8 billion in 2023.
- North American edge computing telecom spend $10 billion in 2023.
- AT&T fiber revenue doubled to $4 billion in 2023.
- T-Mobile fixed wireless access revenue hit $1.5 billion in 2023.
- Verizon Business Group revenue $33 billion in 2023.
Market Size and Revenue Interpretation
While our wallets may collectively groan under the weight of it, the North American telecom industry—from Verizon's steady giant to Mexico's surging mobile data—is a half-trillion-dollar behemoth fattening itself on our insatiable demand for 5G, fiber, and everything in between, even as it quietly buries cable TV in the backyard.
Network Coverage and Speeds
- US average fixed broadband speed 242 Mbps download in Q4 2023.
- Canada median mobile download speed 120 Mbps in H2 2023.
- Mexico average fixed broadband speed 60 Mbps in 2023.
- US 5G median download speed 220 Mbps nationwide in Q4 2023.
- 96% of US population covered by 4G LTE in 2023.
- T-Mobile 5G covers 98% of US population in 2023.
- AT&T 5G covers 290 million people across 10,000+ cities in 2023.
- Rogers 5G covers 27 million Canadians in 2023.
- Telus 5G network reaches 80% of Canada population in 2023.
- América Móvil 5G covers major Mexican cities, 50 million pop in 2023.
- US fixed broadband availability 93% of households in 2023.
- Canadian rural mobile coverage 92% in 2023.
- Mexico 4G coverage 85% population in 2023.
- US median 5G latency 25 ms in Q4 2023.
- T-Mobile fastest 5G provider at 244.3 Mbps avg download 2023.
- Verizon fixed Fios avg speed 1000/880 Mbps in 2023.
- AT&T fiber avg speed 400+ Mbps in 2023 tests.
- Canada fastest mobile provider Bell at 145 Mbps H2 2023.
- Mexico Telcel avg mobile speed 35 Mbps in 2023.
- US 100% 4G coverage in urban areas, 99% suburban 2023.
- North America average broadband latency 20 ms fixed in 2023.
- Rogers Ignite fiber avg 1.2 Gbps in 2023.
- Telus PureFibre avg upload 940 Mbps symmetric 2023.
- US rural broadband coverage gaps affect 14.5 million in 2023.
- US 5G Standalone (SA) deployment in 50+ cities by end-2023.
- Canada 5G mid-band deployment covers 50% pop 2023.
- Mexico 5G sites total 2,500 operational in 2023.
- US mmWave 5G covers 80 million people in dense urban areas 2023.
Network Coverage and Speeds Interpretation
While the U.S. boasts blazing, headline-grabbing speeds, the true story of North American connectivity is a tale of three nations racing on different tracks, with Canada's mobile median matching the U.S. wireline average, Mexico sprinting to catch up, and everyone eyeing the rural finish line where the race is far from won.
Subscriber Base and Penetration
- North America had 340 million mobile subscribers in 2023, with US at 280 million and penetration rate of 127%.
- US wireless subscriptions totaled 484 million in Q4 2023, including 127 million postpaid phone subs.
- Canadian mobile subscribers numbered 34.7 million in 2023, with 92% smartphone penetration.
- Mexico mobile subscriptions reached 118 million in 2023, penetration 92%.
- US postpaid smartphone subscribers grew 1.4% to 127.7 million in Q4 2023.
- T-Mobile US added 3.1 million postpaid phone net adds in 2023.
- Verizon wireless retail postpaid subs 111.9 million at end-2023.
- AT&T mobility subscribers totaled 226.5 million connections in 2023.
- Rogers wireless subs 11.4 million in Canada 2023.
- Telus Mobility 9.5 million subscribers in 2023.
- América Móvil 290 million mobile subs in Mexico region 2023.
- US fixed broadband subs 125 million households in 2023, 80% penetration.
- Canadian fixed broadband subs 13.8 million in 2023.
- Mexico fixed broadband lines 28 million in 2023, penetration 22%.
- US prepaid wireless subs 45 million in Q4 2023.
- North American IoT connections 1.2 billion in 2023.
- US MVNO subscribers 38 million in 2023.
- Canadian cord-cutting led to 1.2 million pay TV sub losses 2019-2023.
- T-Mobile postpaid internet subs reached 4.1 million by end-2023.
- Verizon Fios video subs down 15% to 3.5 million in 2023.
- AT&T fiber subs 3.7 million locations passed in 2023.
- US 5G smartphone penetration 57% of all smartphones in 2023.
- Mexico smartphone penetration 75% of mobile subs in 2023.
- North America M2M connections 700 million in 2023.
- Rogers home internet subs 2.1 million in 2023.
- Telus fiber subs 1.8 million pure fibre in 2023.
- US total wireless connections 530 million including IoT in 2023.
Subscriber Base and Penetration Interpretation
Despite the rapid rise of streaming and fiber, North America remains a continent so utterly obsessed with cellular connections that we now have more mobile subscriptions than people, with our phones essentially serving as digital appendages while the IoT quietly multiplies in the background like a silent, data-hungry rebellion.
Technology Deployment
- North American 5G base stations exceeded 1 million in 2023.
- US 5G connections reached 193 million by end-2023.
- Canada deployed 15,000+ 5G sites by 2023.
- Mexico 5G connections 5 million in 2023.
- Verizon activated 30,000+ 5G small cells in 2023.
- T-Mobile mid-band 2.5 GHz 5G covers 260 million in 2023.
- AT&T 5G SA core network live in 20+ markets 2023.
- Rogers 5G using 3800 MHz band covers 28 million 2023.
- Telus 5G on 3500 MHz spectrum in 50+ cities 2023.
- Telcel (América Móvil) 5G on AWS-3 band launched 2023.
- US fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) homes passed 55 million in 2023.
- Canadian FTTP connections 4.5 million in 2023.
- Mexico fiber optic subs grew 25% to 15 million in 2023.
- AT&T fiber homes passed 29 million by end-2023.
- Verizon Fios/FTTP serves 15 million locations 2023.
- T-Mobile fixed wireless homes 5 million in 2023.
- North America Open RAN deployments in 25 operators 2023.
- US C-band 5G spectrum 280 MHz deployed by 3 carriers 2023.
- Canada mmWave 5G trials in Toronto, Vancouver 2023.
- Mexico Total Play fiber covers 10 million homes 2023.
- US DOCSIS 4.0 cable deployments began in 2023 by Comcast.
- Rogers acquired Shaw, boosting cable network to 4 million homes 2023.
- Telus Opticore network upgrade to 10G PON in 2023.
- North America private 5G networks 500+ operational 2023.
- US Wi-Fi 7 trials by AT&T, Verizon in 2023.
- Canada satellite broadband via Telesat Lightspeed planned 2023 pilots.
- Mexico 5G fixed wireless access growing 40% YoY 2023.
- Verizon edge computing nodes 1,000+ in 2023.
- AT&T network slicing for 5G enterprise in 2023.
Technology Deployment Interpretation
It appears that the North American telecom industry spent 2023 furiously planting both seeds (with over a million 5G base stations) and roots (with massive fiber rollouts), betting heavily that our future will require both untethered speed and wires we can't live without.
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