Innovation, Science & Economic Development Canada (ISED) has published the list of applicants for the auction of 3500MHz band 5G wireless spectrum set for June 2021, following the 6 April deadline for submitting pre-auction financial deposits. ISED will publish a final list of qualified bidders on 22 April, ahead of the auction scheduled to launch on 15 June. There are 24 applicants, notably excluding cableco Shaw Communications and its cellular division Freedom Mobile. Shaw’s proposed merger with Rogers Communications is currently under government and regulatory scrutiny, with speculation that Rogers/Shaw would have to relinquish Freedom’s spectrum, or possibly divest the mobile unit entirely, under merger approval conditions.
The full list of applicants:
Rogers Communications
Bell Canada (Bell Mobility)
Telus (TELUS Communications)
Videotron
SaskTel (Saskatchewan Telecommunications)
Eastlink (Bragg Communications)
Xplornet Communications
Iristel
Cogeco Connexion
TerreStar Solutions
TekSavvy Solutions
TBayTel
CityWest Cable and Telephone Corp
ECOTEL
Sogetel
Nexicom
508896 Alberta Ltd. O/A NETAGO
1085459 Ontario Ltd. O/A Kingston Online Services
Comcentric Networking
Lemalu Holdings
Valley Fiber
Multiboard Communications
Star Solutions International
Thomas Communications.