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Making Your Home Future-Friendly: The Best Smart Home Devices for 2023

3 minutes read | October 4, 2023

LIMITED-TIME OFFER: lock-in incredible deals on our internet!

A Guide to Smart Home Essentials

Hey there, friends! Guess what? The idea of a “smart home” isn’t just for sci-fi movies anymore. Thanks to the internet, it is now totally achievable, affordable, and can make your life a whole lot easier. Plus, with Amazon Prime Day just around the corner, now’s the perfect time to dive into the world of smart gadgets! Let’s explore easy ways to make your home future-friendly, reliable, and convenient.

Smart Home Hubs: building a brain for your home  

Smart home hubs are central for a connected home, as they allow users to control a wide array of devices such as lights, thermostats, and security cameras through a single interface. With smart home hubs like Echo Dot, Apple Home, or Google Nest – they have transformed how we interact with our surroundings. It’s like having your own personal R2D2 at your service!

Smart Light Bulbs: illuminate your space efficiently 

This is an easy switch – just swap out your old bulbs for Smart Lightbulbs. Control these energy-efficient LEDs by using your phone or even your voice through devices like Alexa, Google Assistant, or Siri. Create moods, set schedules, and watch your energy bill drop!

Smart Plugs: transform ordinary devices into smart ones 

You don’t have to toss out your trusty old appliances, just make them smart with Smart Plugs! Easy to install, they let you control everyday stuff like coffee makers and fans from your phone. Schedule their action, keep tabs on power use, and save some money while you’re at it.

Smart Locks: secure your home with convenience 

Want home security without the worry of keys? Smart Locks have your back! These futuristic locks let you ditch the keys and unlock your doors using your phone or secret codes. Give temporary access to guests, keep a digital visitor log, and relax knowing your home is secure – no matter where you are.

Smart Thermostats: maximize comfort and efficiency 

Get your home’s temperature under control with Smart Thermostats. These thermostats adapt to your daily routines, and learn your preferences over time. Control them remotely to save energy when you’re away and enjoy comfort when you’re at home.

Smart Doorbell: eye on your front door 

Upgrade your home’s security with a Smart Doorbell. This device offers crystal-clear video quality, motion detection, and two-way audio communication. Receive alerts on your smartphone when someone’s at the door, whether you’re at home or away. Remember, for uninterrupted video streaming and real-time alerts, your internet connection needs to be as vigilant as your security measures.


So, there you have it—a guide to making your home future-friendly with smart products that offer convenience, security, and energy efficiency, all of which rely on a stable and fast internet connection, which you can find with Start.ca!

This Prime Day is October 10th and 11th, so keep an eye out for the best deals on these gadgets, and enjoy the benefits of a future-friendly, connected home. Happy upgrading, friends!

Right now you can lock-in incredible deals on our internet!
These are limited-time offers, so make the switch today!

Supercharged Internet Speed: Unlocking the Power of 100 Mbps

3 minutes read | July 13, 2023

Read how you can say goodbye to buffering, slow downloads, and frustrating lag, through the power and affordability of 100 Mbps! 

Are you tired of the overwhelming options when choosing an internet plan? Why pay extra for 1.5 Gbps internet speeds when you’re unsure what connectivity you need for a seamless online experience?  Well, we have an important announcement to make: 100 Mbps with Start.ca is all you need for your internet surfing! 

That’s right, folks, with Start.ca’s 100 Mbps, your whole household can conquer the digital world without breaking a sweat. From streaming your favorite movies and shows in high definition, to dominating the gaming arena, 100 Mbps with Start.ca is the golden ticket to a smooth online connection! The best part? You can get Start.ca 100 for only $40 until July 31st. 

Buffer-Free Streaming

No more pixelated videos and that pesky buffering wheel that interrupts your binge-watching sessions. With our 100 Mbps internet, you can stream high-definition movies and TV shows without a hitch. 

Even with 5 devices streaming in 4K, you’ll still experience smooth playback and crystal-clear images, with no frustrating pauses in the middle of epic scenes. It’s time to indulge in uninterrupted entertainment bliss!

Seamless Online Gaming

Attention, gamers! With our 100 Mbps internet connection, you’ll leave lag and latency in the dust. Say farewell to those frustrating moments where your opponents seem to teleport across the screen while you’re stuck in molasses – and say hello conquering Lilith in Diablo IV! 

Happy smiling couple having fun at home, relaxing and playing video games, enjoying themselves

Image source: https://www.gamemite.com/cheats/nes/

Effortless Connection with Multiple Devices

In a world where we’re all connected, it’s essential to have an internet plan that can keep up. With our 100 Mbps, you won’t have to worry about slowing down the entire household when multiple devices are connected. Stream your favorite show on the big screen, while your roommate battles in an online game, and your partner video chats with friends. Everyone can enjoy their internet activities without compromising on speed! 

Faster Web Surfing

We’ve all experienced the frustration of a sluggish internet connection that makes every web page feel like an eternity to load. With our 100 Mbps, web browsing becomes a breeze. No more impatiently staring at a blank screen as your favorite Instantcart groceries, Facebook photos, or Amazon gift ideas take ages to load. With Start.ca’s speedy connection, pages pop up in an instant, giving you more time to explore, discover, and conquer the digital universe!

Switch to Start.ca and Enjoy 100 Mbps for Only $40/mo 

For a limited time only, Start.ca is offering the ultrafast and reliable 100Mbps at an unbeatable price of just $40 per month! You can say goodbye to buffering, slow downloads, and frustrating lag, by embracing the power of Start.ca’s 100 Mbps. 

This offer is only available until July 31st, so switch today!

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Need Help Following the CRTC’s Ever-Changing Stance on Access Rates? This might help.

4 minutes read | August 31, 2021

For those of you who don’t live and breathe internet regulatory news like we do, the CRTC stands for the Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission. Essentially, the CRTC is supposed to operate as an independent public authority in charge of regulating and supervising Canadian broadcasting and telecommunications. On the CRTC website, they describe their role as it pertains to the internet services industry as follows: “We set wholesale rates to facilitate greater competition between Internet service providers and to promote innovative broadband services and affordable prices.” At least, that’s supposed to be what their mandate is.

Lately, it’s been pretty hard to keep up with them considering their ever-changing stance on internet access rates in Canada. The CRTC’s recent decision to reverse its own 2019 ruling is hard for us to understand. We know it’s confusing for many of our customers too, which is why we’ve put together the following graphic to help illustrate the long and winding road of the CRTC’s access rate saga.

click here to access text only version

Infographic titled "The Long Road to affordable internet for Canadians".  Left hand of the page aredates in ascending order starting with November 2014 ending with July 2021. The left hand side include descriptions of events coordinating dates.

Timeline of events:

  • November 2014 – A review of how wholesale internet services are priced is launched. The results will determine the rates that independent providers like Start.ca pay to access internet infrastructure in Canada.
  • 2015 – The review is completed and new rates are announced.
  • March 2016 – Doubt about the validity of the rates is raised. Interim rates set while CRTC undertakes a comprehensive review of the documentation.
  • 2016 – 2019 – CRTC investigation unfolds. Years of financial and technical data are reviewed.
  • August 2019 –The CRTC concludes that the rates are too high. In landmark victory for consumers, CRTC orders the big networks to lower access rates.
  • October 2019 – Start.ca responds by lowering prices and increasing speeds for many of our customers.
  • November 2019 – The big networks file appeals to federal court, the Cabinet (Federal Government), and the CRTC in effort to have the decision overturned. This freezes the lowered rates from being implemented.
  • August 2020 – The cabinet declines to overturn the decision but issues a problematic statement that suggests this may take longer than we had hoped.
  • August 2020 – Start.ca announces a price increase of $5-$10 on some internet plans, effective as of November, 2020. This is the first price increase for Start.ca customers since the company was established in 1995. In most cases, customers still pay less than they were before plan prices were lowered in 2019.
  • August 2020 – Many other smaller Canadian ISPs react to frozen rates by also raising prices.
  • September 2020 – WIN! The federal court refuses to overturn the CRTC ruling.
  • November 2020 – The big networks take their appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada.
  • February 2021 – WIN! The Supreme Court throws out the big networks’ appeal.
  • May 2021 – CRTC inexplicably opts to reverse its own 2019 regulatory decision to implement lower internet access rates in Canada. We revert back to the 2016 rates – the same rates that the CRTC had previously stated were far too high.
  • June 2021 –Start.ca announces price increase of $5-$10 on some of our internet plans, effective as of September 2021. Most package prices return to where they were prior to Start.ca’s 2019 price decrease.
  • June 2021 – Most other independent providers begin announcing upcoming price adjustments in wake of CRTC’s reversal. The general consensus is that internet prices across Canada will continue to rise.
  • July 2021 – Start.ca and consortium of other indie internet operators (CNOC) appeals to the Government of Canada to overturn CRTC’s flip-flop and reinstate the 2019 rates.
  • May 2022 – Government of Canada declines to overturn the CRTC decision, resulting in the continuation of the higher rates we pay for services.

Who are we talking about?

CNOC: Competitive Network Operators of Canada AKA consortium of other indie internet operators

CRTC: Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission

What can you do to help?

Every voice counts, and if you want to join in, please visit www.start.ca/affordable to sign the petition and have your voice heard.

Sign the petition https://www.cnoc.tech/iwantaffordableinternet

Read more about how the CRTC’s recent decision has impacted the consumer and Start.ca here: ****

Thank you for supporting us.

Want to Keep Internet Prices Fair? Here’s How You Can Help Overturn the Recent CRTC Decision

5 minutes read | June 22, 2021

If you’ve been following the wholesale internet access rate story in the news, you have probably heard that on Thursday, May 27, 2021, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (or CRTC) opted to reverse its own 2019 regulatory decision to implement lower internet access rates in Canada.

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Start Talk Episode 20 – How Does the Internet Work?

1 minutes read | December 15, 2020

How DOES the internet work?

The internet – most of us have come to rely on it each and every day. With the wealth of information and resources that can be found online, it’s incredible that something we can’t even see when we use it is so powerful. So how does the internet work anyway? We’ll answer that question on this Start Talk episode.

Learn more about fast and reliable internet options at Start.ca – Ontario’s Favourite Internet Provider

More speed upgrades, and lower prices!

2 minutes read | October 25, 2019

Start.ca to Offer Even More Improved Internet Plans Following CRTC Decision

October 24, 2019
By the Start.ca Team

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Improved Internet Prices and Speeds!

3 minutes read | September 13, 2019

Start.ca to Offer Improved Internet Prices and Speeds Following CRTC Decision

September 13, 2019
By the Start.ca Team

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Did you get a suspicious call from your “ISP”?

3 minutes read | May 17, 2019

Suspicious phone call from “your internet provider”?

Here’s what to listen for, and what to do about it.

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PIN code security is here

2 minutes read | March 5, 2019

Making a change to your Start.ca account? You’ll need a PIN.

Make sure to set yours up now. Here’s how (and why).

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What download speed do you actually need?

3 minutes read | August 17, 2016

Here at Start, we’re always looking to provide our customers with the best service and the most value. That means advising you on the internet package that’s best suited for your needs. Depending on what you want from your home connection, faster may not always be necessary. So today, we’ll take a look at just how fast of an internet connection you actually need.

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