When Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone in 1876, who would have ever thought that the way people communicate would reach the heights that it has today?

Far from a typical landline call, there is now video calling, teleconferencing, e-mail, fax, instant messaging, text messaging, mobile phone calls, Internet telephone calls - and all the other forms of communication which made the world a virtually smaller place.

This is because sending messages from one person to another - no matter how far apart you are located - has become almost instantaneous.

This is also the reason why the major telecom providers in each country play a big role in the development of any country in the world. Without good telecom providers, people residing in a particular country will have no means to use broadband to connect to the Internet.

Without mobile providers, they will not be able to accept and make calls using their mobile phones. The same thing holds true for cable, satellite, wireless and other telecom providers.

Telecom Defined

So what exactly are telecom providers? Generally, telecom providers apply to companies providing data services, phone services or entertainment to consumers and businesses.

Telecom providers include the following:

1. Wireless communications provider
2. Landline phone companies
3. Mobile phone companies
4. Cable television providers
5. Satellite television providers
6. Internet Service Providers or ISP's
7. VoIP or Voice over Internet Protocol companies

No matter which country it is that you are living in, it is important to have access to these telecommunication facilities. This would ensure that information is easily accessible to everybody.

Broadband service is particularly important, so that anybody can gain access to the Internet right in the comfort of their own homes.

Quick Facts about Canada

Before delving having a glimpse of the telecom industry in Canada, here are a few quick facts about the country:

- Next to Russia, Canada is the world's second largest country.
- Almost 90% of the Canadian population lives within 200 kilometers of the border in the United States.
- According to the 2008 US Census Bureau, Canada as an estimated population of 33.2 million.

A Brief Overview of the Telecom Industry in Canada

First up, let us take a look at Canada's broadband industry. In this country, broadband is defined as an Internet connection which has a speed exceeding 64 Kbps. Despite the fact that the country only had 5.2 million household with broadband connection in 2004 - the trend continues to grow year after year.

Almost every other type of telecom provider in the country continues to grow - which definitely bodes good news for the general consuming public.

Another good news is that Canadians are heavy Internet users. As such, they will be able to make cheap calls through Internet calling should there be a need for them to make international calls online.

Lastly, let us take a look at the wireless communications industry. Since its inception, wireless telecom providers in Canada have experienced a healthy growth in the number of subscribers that they have.

All in all, the telecom industry in Canada is quick on the uptake when it comes to recent technological innovations and development - which brings a host of advantages, both for the consumers and the providers.