Auction Day 26: Auction end rapidly approaching; bids hit $4.19 billion

Industry Canada's Advanced Wireless Services (AWS) spectrum auction is rapidly approaching its end with new bids dipping below 20 on Wednesday and falling to just 11 in rounds 173 and 174.With the number of battles dropping by the round, the big markets appear largely settled. Some smaller contests continue by bidders hoping to fill out their spectrum portfolios. Shaw Communications, for example, has spent the last several rounds vying for 10 MHz of D-band spectrum covering Medicine Hat/Brooks and Lethbridge.The company had held the Medicine Hat property since Round 153 and the Lethbridge licence since the opening round, but Rich Telecom began bidding on both properties in Round 169. Control over these properties seesawed the rest of the day.Meanwhile, Bragg Communications appears determined to get its hands on a large swath of spectrum covering Atlantic Canada and maintain a significant piece of northern Ontario. The EastLink owner is already sitting on 30 MHz of bandwidth in Atlantic Canada, but appears unwilling to leave the auction without 40 MHz. Bragg has 20 MHz in northern Ontario, but continues bidding on a number of properties that would give it 30 MHz.Globalive Communications was active early in the day, but slowed down its bidding throughout the rest of Wednesday. After filling out its portfolio with several A-band 20 MHz and D-band 10 MHz licences, the company spent the rest of the day fighting to retain pieces of Alberta and Ontario.After 26 days and 175 rounds of bidding, the total auction haul has nearly reached $4.19 billion with the Big Three continuing to lead the way.Top 10 Bidders by Total Amount of Standing High Bids:Rogers Communications Inc.: $930,050,750TELUS Communications Company: $863,762,000Bell Mobility Inc.: $718,823,0009193-2962 Québec Inc.: $563,259,000Globalive Wireless LP: $443,016,000Data & Audio-Visual Enterprises Wireless Inc.: $242,842,0001380057 Alberta Ltd.: $206,312,960SaskTel: $56,750,0006934579 Canada Inc.: $52,385,077Bragg Communications Inc.: $48,446,000

Auction Day 26: Auction end rapidly approaching; bids hit $4.19 billion

News | July 3, 2008

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