Where is the announcement on auction policy for the 700MHz band? The government continues to procrastinate on digital policy files – like issuing a comprehensive digital strategy, deciding on foreign investment policy forĀ telecom services sector and sorting out spectrum.
Over the past couple days, various players have been working the media to set out their positions. Public Mobile and Wind told the Canadian Press that if there aren’t specialĀ concessionsĀ for new entrants, they won’t even show up at the auction. Wind CEO Anthony Lacavera said “We’re not suicidal. We’re not going to go out and try to bid on something we have zero chance of winning.”
Public Mobile invoked the theme of increased rural coverage, made possible by competitive pressures by the new entrants in urban settings.
In response, Bell issued a press release that calls for “no special measures” for new entrants. “Rollout of next-generation LTE network to rural and remote communities depends on open and transparent 700 MHz spectrum auction.”
I’m not sure I see the connection between rural LTE and an open auction. Frankly, if a rural build of LTE is a priority, there are a number of more direct ways for the government to create the right opportunities and incentives. Ā Perhaps more on those thoughts later.
In a meeting with CITIG yesterday, I learned of a letter from the Prime Minister to Chief Bill Blair in his role as head of the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police, confirming the government’s commitment to a Public Safety set-aside in the next spectrum auction.
With last week’s announcement in the US of assignment of the D-block of the 700MHz band for public safety applications, will Industry Canada follow the US band plan?
Has the decision on Canada’s 700 MHz policy been delayed in order to allow the US to conclude its public safety plan?
There is a panel on Wednesday June 6 at The 2012 Canadian Telecom Summit that will be looking at spectrum issues. Early bird rates expire February 29. Have you registered yet?
Mark – maybe they’re waiting until the ‘lawful access’ legislation (Bill C-30) passes so the new entrants will know how much money they are going to have to pay out for the equipment service providers are going to have to install to do the spying called for in the Bill and, in turn, how much higher subscriber rates are going to have to be. I thought the original purpose of the auctions was to get more players so prices and services would be more subscriber friendly. If C-30 passes, cell/wireless rates will rise with no recourse. The digital economy strategy keeps on getting murkier and murkier.