WIND Mobile to Bid in Upcoming Wireless Spectrum Auction in 2014

WIND Mobile has declared it will be participating in the 700MHz wireless spectrum auction, set to take place in January 2014, reports the Financial Post:

Wind Mobile, one of three startup carriers to launch in Canada after buying wireless spectrum in 2008, said Monday it plans to bid on the airwaves up for grabs in next year’s public auction.

The deadline to place initial bids, along with a refundable 5% deposit, is Tuesday at noon ET and the auction for spectrum in the 700-megahertz frequency band will get underway next Jan. 14.

Wind built a third-generation network on its existing spectrum, which is in what is known as the AWS band of spectrum, and it now has 650,000 subscribers, it said in a statement Monday.

Should WIND Mobile have its sights set on bidding nationally for two out of four blocks available, their 5% deposit would amount to roughly $16 million, due tomorrow at noon EDT. Spectrum bidders are prevented from publicly discussing their auction strategies so WIND has not confirmed whether it plans to bid regionally or nationally. The company has previously stated it is ready to become Canada’s fourth national wireless option.

As for other newer players, Public Mobile, recently funded by new investors at Thomvest Ventures (owned by the Thomson family) and a New York private equity firm, had its inventors state in June the entrant would participate in the auction.

Regional carriers Videotron, Eastlink and SaskTel are expected to bid in the auction as well. MTS previously stated it would skip the auction on a national front and rather concentrate on services within Manitoba. Mark your calendars for September 23–the day bidders will be publicly identified.

 

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