Auction Day 17: No end to auction in sight

It’s time for a new prediction. Despite suggestions from some commentators that Industry Canada’s Advanced Wireless Services (AWS) spectrum auction could end this week, bidding looks ready to continue well into next week – if not longer. Based on activity and the level of intensity that new entrants are displaying against the incumbent wireless players, an end to the auction is nowhere in sight. Over the past several days, new bids have continually outnumbered new high bids by substantial margin. And, while not as high as during the early part of the auction before several parties dropped out, the activity demonstrates that multiple participants are still fighting over the same properties. As well, some bidders are jumping their own bids to make sure they remain standing high bidder. At the beginning of the week participants placed 86 new bids with 79 of them being new standing high bids. By Monday’s end, 66 new bids were placed with 61 being new high bids. Round 75 on Tuesday saw new bids outstrip new high bids by a considerable margin 76 to 60. Later in the day, the difference between new bids and new high bids slipped a bit, but the overall trend continues and there aren’t any signs this will stop in the coming rounds. MTS and SaskTel still facing bandwidth battle Previously considered locks to get considerable spectrum in their home markets, MTS Allstream and SaskTel continue to come under increasing pressure from new entrant wannabes Shaw Communications and Globalive Communications. It was believed that MTS had finally wrestled control of the 20 MHz B-band licence in Manitoba from Shaw after going toe-to-toe with the Alberta cable, telephony and Internet provider since the auction began. But early on Wednesday, Globalive moved to shore up the licence from the Manitoba incumbent wireless operator. The Yak Communications owner has also been a fly in MTS’ ointment by trying to get the 10 MHz D-band licences in Winnipeg and Brandon. With bidding intensity still at a relatively high level given the auction’s advanced stage, it’s not yet certain which of the two are going to come away with the majority of the bandwidth covering Manitoba. SaskTel is also facing competition from rival Shaw and Globalive, going head-to-head with both companies since early in the auction – and the fight doesn’t show any signs of waning. Globalive is battling SaskTel for a piece of the Prairie province by bidding against the Crown corp on the 10 MHz D-band properties for Regina, Saskatoon and Moose Jaw.

Auction Day 17: No end to auction in sight

News | 06/19/2008 11:51 am EDT

To keep reading, get a free trial.

Already a Subscriber?

Reuse & Permissions

Inside The Wire Report

Information

Hill Times Publishing

Get in Touch With Us