Bell Canada has called on the federal government to immediately close loopholes in its mobile policy framework that favour major US carriers. US giant Verizon Communications has already announced its intent to enter the Canadian market. According to Bell Canada, three loopholes would allow Verizon to: buy twice as much new wireless spectrum in the upcoming auction of Canada's 700 MHz airwaves as Canadian carriers at a lower overall price, get a free ride on the networks funded and built by Canadians and acquire smaller Canadian mobile companies at fire-sale prices. Bell is urging the government to support a fair and open marketplace by closing the loopholes by allowing US carriers access to Canadian airwaves, promote head-to-head competition by permitting any carrier to bid on two blocks of prime spectrum in the upcoming 700 MHz auction, not just US carriers, require US carriers that enter Canada to build out to the entire country, rather than allowing them access to the leading networks built by Canadians, and allow major Canadian carriers the opportunity to bid against big US companies to acquire mobile start-ups seeking buyers, with full review by the Competition Bureau.
