Block of Canadian wireless spectrum to existing Canadian carriers?
Boy Howdy! Things are moving fast.
Just in from the Globe and Mail
All eyes will be on whether Ottawa intervenes in what would otherwise be a free-market auction by preventing the big players — Bell, Telus and Rogers — from bidding on part of the spectrum.
Mr. Prentice has so far been mum on whether Ottawa will set aside part of the frequencies up for auction in order to allow new entrants to bid on these without competition from Bell, Rogers or Telus.
Such a move would be contrary to pure free market principles but would be in keeping with the Conservative government’s avowedly populist approach and its focus on consumers. Finance Minister Jim Flaherty, for instance, has pressed banks to cut automated banking machine fees and has lobbied retailers to cut prices to reflect the strengthened Canadian dollar.
A potential block of bidding on new spectrum from the big guys!….. Stay tuned….
More here