Wireless Internet Cancellation Requests Through a New Provider: What Canadians Need to Know

The CRTC approved a standardized process on September 4, 2026, allowing providers to coordinate many cancellations when customers switch wireless Internet services.
Customers should give the new provider the correct service identifier and confirm exactly which service is being cancelled, especially when several services share one account.
Partial business disconnections and unusual service arrangements may still require direct contact with the current provider.

The short answer

When you switch a Canadian Internet service supplied by a wireless provider, you can generally ask the new provider to coordinate the cancellation of your existing service. The CRTC approved a standardized industry process for these requests on September 4, 2026, with the goal of reducing confusion, rejected requests, and delays.

That does not mean every cancellation will happen automatically or that you should disconnect the old service before the new one is ready. The providers still need to identify the correct service, use the appropriate cancellation process, and confirm whether the request covers one service or several.

The decision applies in Canada. The CRTC does not regulate Internet providers in the United States, so American customers will need to follow their provider’s own transfer and cancellation rules.

What the CRTC approved

Telecom Decision CRTC 2026-232 approved consensus report BPRE105a, which introduces a standardized process for cancellation requests involving Internet services provided by wireless service providers. The new process is called LNA type I, or LNA I, and will work alongside the existing LNA A process.

The practical purpose is straightforward: a new provider should have a clearer way to ask the old provider to cancel the customer’s existing Internet service. The two providers will determine which process fits the service involved.

This is especially relevant because wireless providers now sell several kinds of Internet-connected services. The CRTC’s decision refers to wireless home Internet, wireless hubs or sticks, mobile wireless plans that include data, certain SIM-based backup services, and wireline home Internet sold under a wireless brand.

Not every product will use exactly the same operational path. The decision is intended to make those differences easier for providers and their customer-service teams to handle.

Read Telecom Decision CRTC 2026-232

How to switch your wireless Internet service

Choose and order the new service. Tell the new provider that you want it to coordinate the cancellation or transfer of your existing Internet service.
Identify the exact service. Have your current bill, account information, and any service or asset number available. If your account includes mobile lines, tablets, a backup connection, or multiple Internet services, be specific about which one should be cancelled.
Confirm the timing. Ask when the new service will be activated and whether the cancellation will happen immediately or on a date you select. Avoid cancelling the old service separately unless the provider tells you that direct contact is required.
Keep confirmation records. Save the order number, cancellation date, emails, chat transcripts, and final bill. These records can help if the old provider continues billing after the transfer.
Check the old account after the switch. Confirm that the correct service was cancelled and that any equipment-return instructions are clear. A bundled account may remain open if other services are still active.

The CRTC’s general customer-transfer guidance says customers can request a transfer through the new provider by phone, email, or regular mail. It also says customers do not generally need to provide 30 days’ notice to cancel phone, mobile, Internet, or TV services. Your contract can still contain other valid charges or equipment obligations, so review the final account carefully.

Read the CRTC’s changing service provider guidance

Why the service identifier matters

A major part of the approved process is matching each wireless Internet service to a unique identifier, such as an asset number or telephone number. That identifier is linked to the customer’s account and helps providers cancel the intended service rather than another product on the same account.

This matters if one household account contains a wireless home Internet line, several cellphones, a tablet, and a fixed wireless connection. Without a precise identifier, a cancellation request could be delayed or sent for the wrong service.

The CRTC directed both carrier and non-carrier wireless service providers that offer standalone Internet service to display these unique identifiers on customer invoices or self-service portals by September 4, 2027.

Until then, the identifier may not be easy to find on every bill or account page. If you cannot locate it, ask the new provider what information it needs before submitting the request. Do not guess which number applies.

When you may still need to contact the current provider

The new process is designed to support provider-to-provider cancellation requests, but it does not eliminate every reason for direct contact.

Partial disconnections for business accounts

The CRTC decision specifically says existing Canadian Local Ordering Guidelines rules continue to apply to business customers. Those rules allow the provider-to-provider process to disconnect all Internet services at a location, but a business customer seeking a partial disconnection must contact its current provider directly.

For example, a business that wants to keep one connection at a location but cancel two other Internet services should not assume the new provider can remove only the selected services through the standard request.

Unusual or bundled service arrangements

Some wireless Internet products are linked to a mobile number, hardware asset, parent company, reseller, or another service on the same account. The CRTC noted that some requests have historically needed to go to a provider’s parent company while others went directly to the wireless provider.

The approved changes are intended to reduce that confusion, but the new provider and old provider still need to use the correct route. If customer support cannot identify the service, ask for the request to be escalated rather than cancelling every product on the account.

Keeping part of a shared account

If you are cancelling only one connection while keeping phones, tablets, backup services, or another Internet line, clearly state that the request is for a single service. Ask for written confirmation of what will remain active.

What changes on September 4, 2027?

September 4, 2027, is the CRTC’s deadline for wireless providers offering standalone Internet service to display unique service identifiers on customer invoices or self-service portals. It is not a deadline for customers to switch providers, and the decision does not announce a mandatory consumer migration date.

The standardized provider process was approved on September 4, 2026. However, customers may still encounter differences in how individual providers collect service details, confirm cancellation timing, and arrange equipment returns.

If a provider tells you that it cannot accept a transfer request, ask whether the issue is the service type, the identifier, a partial disconnection, or a mismatch between the provider and its parent company. That answer will tell you whether to retry through the new provider or contact the current provider directly.

What this means for customers

For a straightforward standalone wireless home Internet switch, the best first step is to ask the new provider to handle the cancellation. Give it accurate account details, identify the exact service, and confirm the cutover date before the old connection is disconnected.

For a business account, a partial cancellation, or a bundled wireless account, expect an extra verification step. You may need to speak with the current provider, particularly if you are keeping some services at the same location.

If the cancellation is mishandled, contact the provider first and keep your records. If the issue is not resolved, Canadian customers can review the CRTC’s consumer guidance and consider contacting the Commission for Complaints for Telecom-television Services after meeting the provider’s complaint process.

File a complaint with the CCTS

Helpful Links

Telecom Decision CRTC 2026-232 – Read the CRTC decision approving the standardized cancellation process for Internet services provided by wireless service providers.
Changing your service provider – Official page referenced in the article.
Online Complaint Form – Official page referenced in the article.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Does the new provider always have to cancel my old wireless Internet service?

A. No. For a straightforward service transfer, you can ask the new provider to submit the cancellation request. The providers must still determine which process fits the service. Partial business disconnections, unusual bundled arrangements, or unclear service identifiers may require direct contact with the current provider.

Q. What information should I give the new provider?

A. Provide your account details, the service address if applicable, the name of the current provider, and the exact Internet service you want cancelled. A unique asset number or telephone number may be needed, especially when several services appear on one account.

Q. Can I cancel only one Internet service on a shared account?

A. You can request cancellation of a specific service, but you should identify it precisely and confirm what will remain active. Businesses seeking a partial disconnection must contact the current provider under the existing rules.

Q. Is September 4, 2027, the date when customers must switch?

A. No. September 4, 2027, is the deadline for wireless providers offering standalone Internet service to display unique service identifiers on customer invoices or self-service portals. It is not a customer switching deadline.