OTTAWA – Industry Canada will stage its third wireless spectrum auction of the year in August to sell off the remaining spectrum licences from the recent 700 MHz and AWS-3 auctions.
One 700 MHz licence serving Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut was unallocated after the auction in January 2014, while three licences, serving the northern territories, Manitoba and Saskatchewan, were unallocated after the AWS-3 auction in March 2015.
The government said late Friday that it is proposing to divide that spectrum into 18 new licences: a 700 MHz licence for each of Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut; three 10 MHz licences covering Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut; three 10 MHz licences covering Manitoba; and three 10 MHz licences covering Saskatchewan.
In addition, the spectrum cap put in place for the original 700 MHz auction would remain for the unallocated licences in that band, but the unallocated AWS-3 licences would have the set-aside provisions removed, meaning they would be open to bidding by all interested companies.
A sealed-bid format for this auction will be used, the same format used for the AWS-3 auction. Click here for this auction’s consultation paper.
"Spectrum is an essential public resource, and it is our job as a government to ensure it is allocated in such a way that encourages robust competition and choice in our wireless market”, said Industry Minister James Moore, in a statement. “This auction, like all of our previous auctions, is designed with the interests of Canadian consumers first. We look forward to seeing consumers benefit."
