Canadian spectrum auction to end soon

Industry Canada's wireless spectrum auction is expected to end today, netting the government more than $4.19 billion--nearly three times the amount estimated. The auction was intended to increase competition and lower prices but in reality the three incumbent carriers--Rogers, Telus and Bell Mobility--are leading in the bidding. Rogers has bid more than $949 million for 55 licenses. Telus has bid $847.5 million for 59 licenses and Bell Mobility has bid $728.6 million for 55 licenses.

Newcomer Quebecor has bid $556 million for 18 licenses in Quebec. Globalive Communications, which owns a long-distance reseller called Yak, is close to becoming a national carrier with bids on spectrum licenses in nearly every province aside from Quebec.

For more:
- see this story [1]

Related stories:
Canadian spectrum auction [2] bids top $2.5B
Canadian spectrum auction [3] begins today