VANCOUVER – The federal government made good on its promise to set aside more spectrum for new wireless entrants, announcing Thursday that some 60% of AWS-3 spectrum will be reserved for operating new entrants at next year’s auction.
Speaking from Vancouver, Industry Minister James Moore said that the remaining 40% will be open to all qualified bidders, and confirmed that the AWS-3 auction would take place on March 3, 2015.
In addition, Minister Moore said that the federal government is launching a consultation on making the 600 MHz band of spectrum available for commercial mobile use in both urban and rural areas.
Under the proposed plan, Canada would work with the United States to relocate over-the-air television (OTA TV) broadcasting stations to free up additional spectrum for mobile services. Should Canada proceed, this joint initiative will allow existing Canadian OTA TV operators to continue broadcasting while maximizing the availability of commercial mobile spectrum. This consultation is the first step in a multi-year process, focused on the technical aspects of the proposed repurposing of spectrum in the 600 MHz band.
Minister Moore also announced that a path will be provided for mobile use in the 3500 MHz spectrum band, while maintaining existing fixed-wireless Internet services in rural areas; that a plan will be developed to enable use of the AWS-4 spectrum band in a move to boost competition in rural and remote areas; that an additional 2100 MHz of spectrum will be made available to support wireless companies’ infrastructure; and that it will establish a “more efficient and consistent process” for new licences in the 24, 28 and 38 GHz bands.
Once this new spectrum is licensed, its holders must use this spectrum or lose it. Minister Moore added that by May 2015, the amount of spectrum available to provide mobile services to consumers will have grown by almost 60% since early 2014, the largest amount of spectrum ever released in such a short time in Canada.
"Spectrum is essential to power our wireless devices, and our government is making it more available than ever before”, Minister Moore said in a statement. “The end result is that Canadians will benefit from more competition, lower prices and better service in our wireless sector. The Harper Government is committed to delivering competitively priced wireless services on the latest technologies."
