CN is reporting that after two weeks of bidding, the auction for Canada’s newly available wireless spectrum has reached CA$2 billion, far surpassing previous estimates of 1.5 billion with several weeks of bidding still to come. Importantly, 40% of the available radio capacity has been reserved for new entrants, and it’s widely expected that a new national carrier will emerge from the process.
For now, Shaw Communications is leading the way, with Quebecor in second and MTS third. Telus is the top bidder amongst current carriers. Hopefully a new Canadian carrier will provide the competition needed to lower data prices to US levels. We’ll keep you informed as this story develops.
