Feds schedule new millimetre wave spectrum auction for 2027

Ottawa is set to release a tranche of spectrum in the 26 gigahertz (GHz) and 38 GHz bands through an open auction next October. Last week, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) published guidelines for the upcoming auction, which Industry Minister Mélanie Joly confirmed on May 19. “Reliable, affordable connectivity is essential to Canada’s economic growth, public safety and quality of life,” said Joly (Ahuntsic—Cartierville, Que.) in a statement. “By making more spectrum available…, the Government of Canada is enabling the next generation of wireless technologies while improving services for Canadians across the country.” The auction will open up 48 millimetre wave (mmWave) blocks of 100 MHz — equally split between the 26 GHz and 38 GHz bands — which the industry group GSMA defines as the minimum amount of spectrum needed for launching 5G technologies. Both bands have been earmarked for fixed and mobile service under the Canadian Table of Frequency Allocations. This auction will be the first time that mmWave spectrum has been licenced in Canada. The federal government has been consulting on opening the 26 GHz and 38 GHz bands for nearly a decade. mmWave is able to carry considerable amounts of data over short distances, making it particularly relevant for higher-density urban centres, and will be critical to supporting emerging technologies in industry, agriculture, and fixed wireless services in rural areas, according to a government press release. “Access to large blocks of mmWave spectrum will enable service providers to offer high-speed and high-capacity 5G, and eventually 6G, services to consumers,” read the ISED guidelines. Each available licence will carry a 10-year term, though allotted licences will be reserved for renewal upon expiration. Notably, ISED has proposed next year’s auction include a cap on the amount of total spectrum that one entity can receive. In particular, no prospective bidder will be eligible for licences that exceed a total of 1200 MHz, equivalent to 25 per cent of the available spectrum. Smaller companies, like Cogeco Communications Inc., Bragg Communications Inc. (Eastlink), and Saskatchewan Telecommunications Holding Corp. (SaskTel), pushed for a more restrictive cap of 800 MHz, but ISED did not want to “prevent some service providers from acquiring sufficient mmWave spectrum to meet future needs.” In the federal government’s most recent residual spectrum auction, which provided licences in the 3800 MHz band, only three providers — Rogers Communications Inc. (spending $84.5 million), BCE Inc. (spending $13.5 million), and Telus Corp. (spending $317.6 million) — secured new spectrum. Following the auction, the federal government will also licence an additional 850 MHz in the 26 GHz band through a non-competitive process. The auction is currently scheduled to begin on Oct. 19, 2027, though it’s not clear how long bidding will last. dlegree@thewirereport.ca

Feds schedule new millimetre wave spectrum auction for 2027

Regulatory |
By Davis Legree
|May 20, 2026

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Feds schedule new millimetre wave spectrum auction for 2027

Regulatory | By Davis Legree |May 20, 2026

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