The gangbuster launch of the new iPhone X and booming demand for the flagship device has boosted not just 
Apple (AAPL), but also many other companies across industries. One industry to directly benefit is telecommunications. Both in the United States and Canada, leading wireless carriers stand to gain as more subscribers change plans and upgrade their devices.
A trend like this is particularly beneficial to companies south of the border, where there has been a significant disconnect between the rapidly surging S&P 500 Index and the telecommunications sector, one of the worst performing sectors so far this year. While the S&P 500 is up more than 17%, the S&P 500 Telecommunication Services Index has cratered more than 14% on a year-to-date basis, as of Nov. 10, 2017. By contrast, the S&P/TSX Capped Telecommunication Services Index has rocketed almost 20% for the same period.
Despite the divergence in their market performances, telecom companies on both sides of the border are pushing hard to diversify while keeping pace with rapid technological evolution and changing consumer trends. In the process, they are becoming increasingly reliant on smartphones and the internet for revenue.
