Annual Survey of Telecommunications (AST)

Detailed information for 2025

This survey collects financial and operating data for the statistical measurement and analysis of the telecommunications services sub-sector.

• Questionnaire(s) and reporting guide(s)
• Description
• Data sources and methodology

Description

The information collected by the Annual Survey of Telecommunications serves two broad objectives. The first is to measure the financial performance and economic contribution of the telecommunications services sub-sector. To meet this objective the survey collects detailed information on revenues and expenses. The second broad objective is to measure the deployment and use of the telecommunications infrastructure. To meet this objective the survey collects data on the number of fixed and wireless accesses by type and on telecommunications traffic.

The estimates from this survey are used by:

1) Statistics Canada for the production of national and provincial economic accounts.
2) The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) to gauge the state of competition in telecommunication markets, identify trends, support its decisions and establish regulatory policies.
3) Policy and industry analysts to monitor the performance of the industry and competition in its markets, and to assess the impact of policy.
4) Canadian Heritage.
5) International telecommunications organizations such as the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) to describe and study this sector.

Statistics Canada has been conducting an annual survey of telecommunications for many years and the survey has been redesigned over time to address new data needs and to reflect the changing industry structure. Its content and collection method were both significantly redesigned in 2007.

The survey is conducted in partnership with the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC). This approach is used to avoid duplication, minimize response burden on the industry and promote coherence of the Canadian statistical system.

Statistical activity

Science and technology (S&T) and the information society are changing the way we live, learn and work. The concepts are closely intertwined: science generates new understanding of the way the world works, technology applies it to develop innovative products and services, and the information society is one of the results of the innovations.

People are looking to Statistics Canada to measure and explain the social and economic impacts of these changes.

The purpose of this program is to develop useful indicators of S&T activity in Canada and to present them coherently.

Reference period: Calendar year

Collection period: January to June of the year after the reference period.

Subjects

• Business, consumer and property services
• Business performance and ownership
• Financial statements and performance
• Information and communications technology
• Telecommunication industries

Data sources and methodology

Target population

This survey targets telecommunications entities in Canada as defined by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC). In terms of industrial classification, this survey's target population is covered by sub-sector 517 (Telecommunications) of the 2022 North American Industry Classification System (NAICS). This telecommunications services sub-sector comprises entities primarily engaged in providing telecommunications and/or video entertainment services over their own or leased networks, on a resale basis or over client-supplied high speed Internet connections.

The list of entities (the frame) targeted by the survey is elaborated and maintained by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC).

The list of entities maintained by the CRTC differs from Statistics Canada's Business Register. This is because the CRTC's criteria for defining a telecommunications services provider are not the same as the NAICS criteria used by Statistics Canada. To ensure more representative coverage of NAICS category 517, Statistics Canada excludes some entities on the CRTC list that do not match the NAICS criteria for the telecommunications subsector (517). Conversely, Statistics Canada includes some cable and satellite television entities not included on the CRTC respondent list. The entities covered in the Annual Survey of Telecommunications of Statistics Canada represent at least 95% of industry operating revenues, according to the Statistics Canada's Business Register.

• Additional documentation

Instrument design

The survey forms were developed over time with the assistance of data users and suppliers. The first phase of the design was led by the CRTC and focused primarily on the development of data to monitor the status of competition in telecommunication services markets. The survey forms developed by this process were first used to collect data for the 2001 calendar year. They have since evolved to consider the lessons learned through the survey process and to address emerging data requirements.

For the 2007 survey cycle, selected existing modules were modified and new modules added to collect information required to produce national and provincial input-output tables. In particular, a module was introduced to collect more detailed information on the inputs used by the sub-sector and a few modules were added to collect information on the outputs of the telecommunications services sub-sector by province and territory of origin. The module to collect inputs is based on similar modules found in services industries surveys conducted by Statistics Canada. To reduce response burden, small entities do not receive the detailed modules. For these cases, the detailed data are imputed or estimated.

Sampling

This survey is a census with a cross-sectional design.

This survey is a census of all telecommunications service providers; therefore, no sampling is done.

Data sources

Data collection for this reference period: January to June of the year after the reference period.

Responding to this survey is mandatory.

Data are collected directly from survey respondents, extracted from administrative files and derived from other Statistics Canada surveys and/or other sources.

The Annual Survey of Telecommunications asks telecommunication services providers to supply detailed information through an online data collection system managed by the CRTC. Smaller providers of the broadcasting distribution sector are not collected with the online data collection system. They are estimated using internal ratios or industry trend ratios, public annual reports, previous returns, and administrative files. It should be noted that only financial information is available from administrative files, for example, revenues, expenses, depreciation and salaries, wages and benefits. Detailed characteristics are collected only for surveyed entities.

The respondent has until June to submit the data through the online collection system. A telephone follow up is made with non-reporting entities to discuss reporting delinquency and possible special arrangements.

Responding to this survey is mandatory under the Telecommunications Act and the Statistics Act. The survey questionnaires are available online in February following the end of the reference year.

View the Questionnaire(s) and reporting guide(s) .