BellCanada held a monopoly over the telecommunications sector from its foundation in 1888 until the mid 1980s, when the telecommunications industry in Canada was deregulated. BellCanada has kept a geographic focus in the provinces of Quebec and Ontario but the deregulation opened the door for many other carriers to participate in the telecommunications business.
Despite the openness of the Canadian local and long distance phone service, many people have stuck with their traditional landline supplier, even though they may be able to save money by switching to an alternate provider.