This article was last updated on April 16, 2022
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All efforts by the Canadian government to foster competition in the wireless industry are in vain as the country’s single largest new operator announced to withdraw from the spectrum auction on the eve of the bidding. In an announcement made yesterday by Wind Mobile, it disclosed to withdraw from the auction beginning today because its principal backer, i.e. Amsterdam-based VimpelCom Ltd., backed out from fund the bid.
Chief Executive Officer of Wind Mobile, Anthony Lacavera, mentioned that Wind has more than 650,000 subscribers in Canada and now dropping out of the auction leaves it with a spectrum shortfall it must address. An analyst with Edward Jones & Co., David Heger, alleged that the mobile-phone company’s exit has crumbled the government’s plans to open the market to more competitors. He mentioned that “it really just leaves the three big players and that’s it.” Hegar mentioned during a phone interview yesterday that in light of Wind’s departure, the bid is exposed to having no bidders for a fourth block in some markets including British Columbia and Ontario, i.e. Canada’s biggest province.
On the other hand, a spokesperson for Toronto-based Rogers, Patricia Trott, refused to comment on the development as she mentioned that the government has rules that don’t allow any of the bidders to talk about the auction. Meanwhile, the spokesperson for Industry Minister James Moore, Jake Enwright, mentioned in a statement that “whether to participate in the spectrum auction is up to the individual companies,” adding that “we do not comment on their internal business plans.”
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