Canada announces mobile spectrum auction for 2015

13 January 2014 | Sophie Donoghue

Canada has announced that it will hold an auction in April 2015 for mobile licences in the 2500MHz spectrum band.

This will follow an auction for 700MHz spectrum licences, set to begin this week.

Auction rules for both sales will be structured to boost competition and lower consumer prices.

The rules stipulate caps that aim to encourage at least four carriers in every region, while licences will cover smaller geographic areas, allowing smaller rural providers to participate.

"Smaller geographic licence areas will give internet service providers in rural areas a greater chance of acquiring the spectrum and to use it to offer new and improved wireless broadband services to both homes and businesses," industry minister James Moore said.

Licences will also include conditions intended to ensure carriers put them to use as soon as possible, or face the possibility of losing them.