Spectrum auction applicants list holds few surprises

The list of aspiring bidders in the upcoming AWS-3 and 2500 MHz spectrum auctions released by Industry Canada on Thursday includes the dominant players in Canada’s wireless sector as well as the remaining new entrants from the 2008 AWS auction, yet does not herald the entry of any new competitors into the market. The big three incumbent players, BCE Inc., Rogers Communications Inc. and Telus Corp., are joined by two large regional players in Manitoba Telecom Services Inc. and Saskatchewan Telecommunications Holding Corp. in bidding on the 20 MHz of AWS-3 spectrum available to them in the auction that begins March 3. A further 30 MHz has been set aside for companies that meet the government’s definition of “operating new entrants,” those with less than a 10 per cent national market share and less than 20 per cent of the market share in region, although these new entrants are also eligible to bid on the open 20 MHz blocks sought by the incumbents. The remaining registrants — Wind Mobile, operating in Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia, Mobilicity, operating in the same areas, Quebecor Inc.’s Videotron, operating in Quebec, Bragg Communications Inc.’s Eastlink, operating in the Maritime provinces, and TBayTel Inc., operating in northern Ontario — all meet the definition within their regions, according to the CRTC's most recent communications monitoring report. There are no companies in the auction that qualify to bid on the set-aside AWS-3 in Manitoba and Saskatchewan, according to the CRTC data. “By May 2015, we expect new wireless companies to hold over 25 per cent of the total wireless spectrum available,” Industry Minister James Moore said in a news release. “For new wireless companies to be able to compete and provide choice to Canadians, spectrum is essential.” SaskTel and Mobilicity are not listed as bidders in the 2500 MHz auction, though the other mobile carriers are joined by rural Internet providers SSI Micro Ltd., CCI and Xplornet Communications Inc. in the bidding. The 2500 MHz auction, which does not include a set-aside, is for spectrum considered less valuable for mobile phone communications, and the government has said the auction is designed to help put spectrum in the hands of those who provide rural broadband. A list of qualified bidders for each auction will be published Feb. 13, and the 2500 MHz spectrum auction is set to begin April 14. — With reporting by Peter Henderson at phenderson@thewirereport.ca and editing by Derek Abma at dabma@thewirereport.ca

Spectrum auction applicants list holds few surprises

News | February 5, 2015

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Spectrum auction applicants list holds few surprises

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