FlexNetworks – Fastest in Canada

By George Barnhart

Congratulations to FlexNetworks, SEDA’s Platinum Partner for being named PC Magazine’s “Fastest Overall Internet Service Provider (ISP)” for all of Canada. FlexNetworks was featured in PC Mag’s December 18, 2024, article Best Gaming ISPs for 2025: Canada.1

Why is this significant? First, it is great to see FlexNetworks, a company based in Saskatoon receive national recognition. FlexNetworks achieved a speed index rating of 10 out of 10, beating out the heavyweights of Bell (7.6), Telus (7.0), and Rogers (4.3). Second, you may be surprised at the size and economic impact of the gaming industry in Canada.

The gaming industry is a major contributor to the Canadian economy generating almost $9 billion annually. (By comparison, the Saskatchewan agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting sector is just over $5 billion (2023)).2 There are almost 17 million gamers across Canada. Gaming is a significant satisfaction for teenage boys, the greatest user demographic, who spend 11.5 hours per week playing. But, interestingly, 55–64-year-old women are the most engaged gamers at 8.4 hours per week.

SaskTel, SEDA’s Gold Partner was named by PC Magazine as the best gaming ISP in Saskatchewan and mentioned for its extensive provincial coverage.

Why is internet speed important? We explain the ‘need for speed’ in our Connected Saskatchewan, Communities for the Future series, article How Fast is Fast. https://seda.ca/2020/11/16/how-fast-is-fast/

For gamers, ultra-high-speed internet is very desirable for real-time interactions with multiplayer games, smooth and responsive gameplay, better graphics, and faster downloading of games. Cloud gaming is where the game is played over the internet rather than locally from a console. Fast internet enhances gameplay quality and enjoyment.

But fast internet is more than gaming. The national target speed of 50 Mbps was considered a top speed in North America 15 years ago, in 2009. The best analogy is electricity in the 1950s when a 60-amp residential service or less met the then-current need. Now, 200-amp (or even 400-amp) services are the norm. Similarly, the internet has a growing need for ultra-high internet speeds of 1 Gbps and is moving to 10 Gbps.

FlexNetworks offers the fastest internet speed in Saskatchewan, with residential speeds of up to 2.5 Gbps and commercial speeds of up to 10 Gbps. FlexNetworks connects research and education institutions in Saskatchewan with a 400 Gbps circuit from Regina to

Saskatoon, which is two thousand times faster than typical commercial internet connections. This removes a barrier to the exchange of research and academic information between institutions.

It is hard to imagine our future needs for the internet. But there is no doubt it promotes economic growth and social well-being. Ultra-fast internet promotes innovation and enables the development of new markets, new services, and new products.

Saskatchewan being home to the fastest overall internet provider in Canada is a big deal. Well done FlexNetworks.