Canadian Auction Raising $1.48-Billion

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NEWS
Issue #2001 - 06 (Feb. 2001)
(Updated on Feb. 7, 2001)

ACQUISITIONS, MERGERS & AGREEMENTS

Canadian 3G Auction Raising $1.48-Billion

After two weeks of bidding for a total of 62 additional licenses of PCS (Personal Communications Services) spectrum in the 2GHz range, Industry Canada netted $1.48-billion, somewhat lower than analysts’ expectations.

Seven mobile-phone service providers had initially entered the auction on January 15; however, two, U.S. based Sprint Corp. and Montreal-based Microcell Telecommunications Ltd., pulled out before the end of the 51^st round of bidding.

The remaining five walked away spending various amounts.

Toronto’s Bell Mobility spent $720.5-million for 20 licenses, including two of the four highly contested 10 MHz blocks of spectrum in Southern Ontario.
Rogers Wireless Inc., based in Toronto, spent a total of $393.5-million for 23 new licenses and secured one of the Southern Ontario licenses.
Telus Communications Inc. of Edmonton, Alberta, spent nearly $356-million for five new licenses and won one of the highly championed Southern Ontario licenses.
Montreal-based W2N Inc. purchased three licenses for $11.4-million.
Northern Ontario-based Thunder Bay Telephone bought one license for $600,000.

With all the licenses sold, Canada’s increasingly crowded airwaves has increased by 40 megahertz or 50 percent and paved the way for a host of next generation services, including high-speed mobile Internet and m-commerce transactions.

For more information:
www.bell.ca/en/about/news/releas/2001/pr_20010201a.asp
www.rogers.ca/english/corporate/press/press_releases.html

Mobileinfo Comments and Advisory: Canada continues to provide leadership in North America in terms of implementation of 2.5G and 3G services. Microcell of Montreal, Quebec conducted a 3G pilot last year. Now the spectrum is auctioned off. Rogers AT&T has already selected Ericsson as its network infrastructure partner. Bell Mobility will announce their plans publicly very soon. We hope that FCC, American wireless network giants and the industry at large will wake up and move fast to catch up with Canada, and Japan. So far, the signs are less than positive.

Note: This news release may contain forward-looking statements. Readers should take appropriate caution in developing plans utilizing these products, services and technology architectures.

All trademarks used in this summary are the property of their respective owners.

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