Transfer of Spectrum Licences Held by 4253311 Canada Inc. (NextWave) to Inukshuk Wireless Partnership (Inukshuk)

February 27, 2014

Transfer Decision

Application:

1.  On October 29, 2013, Inukshuk, a partnership made up of Bell Canada (Bell) and Rogers Communications Inc. (Rogers), and NextWave submitted a joint application to Industry Canada, for the approval of a transfer of NextWave’s eighty-three (83) spectrum licences across Canada in the Wireless Communications Services (WCS) band, as set out in Annex A.

2.  The proposed transfer triggered an assessment under the Framework Relating to Transfers, Divisions and Subordinate Licensing of Spectrum Licences for Commercial Mobile Spectrum (Transfers Framework).

3.  The capitalized terms not defined in this transfer decision have the meaning set out in the Transfers Framework.

Decision:

4.  The Transfer of the spectrum licences from NextWave to Inukshuk, as set out in Annex A, is denied.

Rationale:

5.  The transfer was assessed against the policy objectives and the criteria set out in the Transfers Framework.

6.  Industry Canada notes that the importance of the WCS band as commercial mobile spectrum will increase as the ecosystem for advanced LTE services is expected to emerge in the next few years.  If the transfer was approved, it would represent a significant shift in spectrum concentration in the WCS band.  Bell and Rogers, through Inukshuk, would increase their combined WCS spectrum holdings from 29 percent to 77 percent.

7.  Given there is only one paired block of WCS spectrum, only one licensee can hold a licence in a given tier. As such, if approved, 95 percent of the WCS spectrum would effectively be held by Bell, Rogers, and TELUS Communications Inc.

8.  The Department has determined that the Transfer of these spectrum licences would impact the ability of existing and future competitors to access additional spectrum and to provide services in the affected licence areas.


ANNEX A

Spectrum Licences Requested to be Transferred from NextWave to Inukshuk
Tier Service Area Name Wireless Communication Services (WCS) Block Licence Number
4-001St. John'sW4989477
4-002PlacentiaW4981418
4-003Gander/Grand Falls/WindsorW4981419
4-004Corner Brook/StephenvilleW4981420
4-005LabradorW4981421
4-006CharlottetownW4989478
4-007SummersideW4989479
4-011TruroW4989480
4-012AmherstW4989481
4-013Antigonish/New GlasgowW4989482
4-014SydneyW4989483
4-017FrederictonW4989484
4-019Miramichi/BathurstW4989485
4-020Grand FallsW4989486
4-022CampbelltonW4989487
4-023MataneW4989488
4-024Mont-JoliW4981422
4-026Rivière-du-LoupW4981423
4-027La MalbaieW4981424
4-028Chicoutimi-JonquièreW4981425
4-029MontmagnyW4981426
4-030QuébecW4981427
4-031Sainte-MarieW4981428
4-032Saint-GeorgesW4981429
4-033Lac MéganticW4981430
4-034Thetford MinesW4981431
4-035PlessisvilleW4981432
4-036La TuqueW4981433
4-037Trois-RivièresW4989489
4-038LouisevilleW4981434
4-040VictoriavilleW4981435
4-041CoaticookW4981436
4-042SherbrookeW4989490
4-043WindsorW4981437
4-046FarnhamW4981438
4-050JolietteW4981439
4-051MontréalW4989491
4-052Sainte-Agathe-des-MontsW4981440
4-053HawkesburyW4981441
4-055OttawaW4989492
4-056PembrokeW4981442
4-057Arnprior/RenfrewW4981443
4-058Rouyn-NorandaW4981444
4-059Notre-Dame-du-NordW4981445
4-060La SarreW4981446
4-063Roberval/Saint-FélicienW4981447
4-067CornwallW4981448
4-069GananoqueW4989493
4-070KingstonW4989494
4-071NapaneeW4981449
4-078AllistonW4981450
4-079Guelph/KitchenerW4989495
4-083Fort ErieW4981451
4-084Niagara-St. CatharinesW4989496
4-086London/Woodstock/St. ThomasW4989497
4-090Windsor/LeamingtonW4981452
4-095MidlandW4989498
4-100SudburyW4981453
4-101Kirkland LakeW4981454
4-102TimminsW4981455
4-103KapuskasingW4981456
4-104Kenora/Sioux LookoutW4981457
4-105Iron BridgeW4981458
4-106Sault Ste. MarieW4981459
4-108Thunder BayW4981460
4-110SteinbachW4981461
4-111WinnipegW4981462
4-113Morden/WinklerW4981463
4-114BrandonW4981464
4-115Portage La PrairieW4981465
4-117Creighton/Flin FlonW4981467
4-118ThompsonW4981468
4-128Prince AlbertW4989500
4-130Northern SaskatchewanW4981472
4-138Wetaskiwin/PonokaW4981473
4-141EdmontonW4989501
4-145BarrheadW4981474
4-150West KootenayW4981475
4-157Powell RiverW4981476
4-159MerrittW4981477
4-160KamloopsW4981478
4-161AshcroftW4981479
4-164Williams LakeW4981480