Canadian Industry Minister James Moore said nine companies acquired spectrum during the 2500 MHz auction, which raised a total of CAD 755.37 million. Moore said that a total of 318 licences in 61 areas across the country were offered in the 2500 MHz auction. All spectrum licences contained strict "use it or lose it" deployment requirements. Bell, Quebecor, Telus and CCI Wireless were among the operators which bought licenses.
With the conclusion of the auction, the amount of spectrum available to provide mobile services to consumers has grown by almost 60 percent since early 2014. The amount of commercial mobile spectrum in the hands of new competitors is now at 25 percent of the total available.
Bell was one of the buyers. The carrier acquired an additional 243M MHz per population (MHz-POP) for CAD 29 million, or CAD 0.12 per MHz-POP, increasing its total 2500 MHz spectrum holdings nationwide to 1,731 million MHz POP for a blended cost of CAD 0.10 per-MHz-POP. The new spectrum will be used to support 4G deployment in urban and rural areas, namely in eastern and western Ontario, Quebec, Atlantic Canada, Alberta, British Columbia and the Territories. Bell's LTE network currently reaches 91 percent of Canadians and will reach 98 percent by the end of this year.
Quebecor bought eighteen 20 MHz licences for CAD 187 million. The Canadian media group obtained one licence in each of the following regions: Montreal, Quebec, Ottawa/Outaouais Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Trois-Rivieres, Bas-du-Fleuve/Gaspesie and Pembroke. It also acquired two licences in Chicoutimi-Jonquiere, Eastern Townships, Upper Outaouais and Abitibi. The operating licences cover all of the province of Quebec and the largest urban centres in the other provinces of Canada, namely Toronto, Ottawa, Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver. They will make it possible to reach more than 21 million people, or 65 percent of Canada's population.
The operator said the new licenses will support unit Videotron’s operations in Quebec. The company will look at various options for the spectrum it acquired in English Canada. Quebecor now holds spectrum in the AWS-1, 700 MHz, AWS-3 and 2500 MHz bands.
Telus said it secured licenses for 40 MHz of spectrum in every region across Canada for CAD 479 million. The spectrum will complement the operator’s existing low band spectrum, which is better able to penetrate buildings and elevators and also travels farther in rural areas. Telus will fund the spectrum licenses from existing credit facilities. Telus said it secured licenses for 40 MHz of spectrum in every region across Canada for CAD 479 million. The spectrum will complement the operator’s existing low band spectrum, which is better able to penetrate buildings and elevators and also travels farther in rural areas. Telus will fund the spectrum licenses from existing credit facilities.
Corridor Communications, Inc. (CCI Wireless) won 13 spectrum licenses –all paired blocks- in Alberta and Ontario. In Alberta the licenses won include Medicine Hat, Lethbridge and Red Deer. In Ontario the winning licenses include Cornwall, Brockville, Belleville, Cobourg, Peterborough, Huntsville, Listowel/Goderich/Stratford, Chatham, Windsor and Strathroy.
