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
Tier | Service Area Name | Wireless Communication Services (WCS) Block | Licence Number |
---|---|---|---|
4-001 | St. John's | W | 4989477 |
4-002 | Placentia | W | 4981418 |
4-003 | Gander/Grand Falls/Windsor | W | 4981419 |
4-004 | Corner Brook/Stephenville | W | 4981420 |
4-005 | Labrador | W | 4981421 |
4-006 | Charlottetown | W | 4989478 |
4-007 | Summerside | W | 4989479 |
4-011 | Truro | W | 4989480 |
4-012 | Amherst | W | 4989481 |
4-013 | Antigonish/New Glasgow | W | 4989482 |
4-014 | Sydney | W | 4989483 |
4-017 | Fredericton | W | 4989484 |
4-019 | Miramichi/Bathurst | W | 4989485 |
4-020 | Grand Falls | W | 4989486 |
4-022 | Campbellton | W | 4989487 |
4-023 | Matane | W | 4989488 |
4-024 | Mont-Joli | W | 4981422 |
4-026 | Rivière-du-Loup | W | 4981423 |
4-027 | La Malbaie | W | 4981424 |
4-028 | Chicoutimi-Jonquière | W | 4981425 |
4-029 | Montmagny | W | 4981426 |
4-030 | Québec | W | 4981427 |
4-031 | Sainte-Marie | W | 4981428 |
4-032 | Saint-Georges | W | 4981429 |
4-033 | Lac Mégantic | W | 4981430 |
4-034 | Thetford Mines | W | 4981431 |
4-035 | Plessisville | W | 4981432 |
4-036 | La Tuque | W | 4981433 |
4-037 | Trois-Rivières | W | 4989489 |
4-038 | Louiseville | W | 4981434 |
4-040 | Victoriaville | W | 4981435 |
4-041 | Coaticook | W | 4981436 |
4-042 | Sherbrooke | W | 4989490 |
4-043 | Windsor | W | 4981437 |
4-046 | Farnham | W | 4981438 |
4-050 | Joliette | W | 4981439 |
4-051 | Montréal | W | 4989491 |
4-052 | Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts | W | 4981440 |
4-053 | Hawkesbury | W | 4981441 |
4-055 | Ottawa | W | 4989492 |
4-056 | Pembroke | W | 4981442 |
4-057 | Arnprior/Renfrew | W | 4981443 |
4-058 | Rouyn-Noranda | W | 4981444 |
4-059 | Notre-Dame-du-Nord | W | 4981445 |
4-060 | La Sarre | W | 4981446 |
4-063 | Roberval/Saint-Félicien | W | 4981447 |
4-067 | Cornwall | W | 4981448 |
4-069 | Gananoque | W | 4989493 |
4-070 | Kingston | W | 4989494 |
4-071 | Napanee | W | 4981449 |
4-078 | Alliston | W | 4981450 |
4-079 | Guelph/Kitchener | W | 4989495 |
4-083 | Fort Erie | W | 4981451 |
4-084 | Niagara-St. Catharines | W | 4989496 |
4-086 | London/Woodstock/St. Thomas | W | 4989497 |
4-090 | Windsor/Leamington | W | 4981452 |
4-095 | Midland | W | 4989498 |
4-100 | Sudbury | W | 4981453 |
4-101 | Kirkland Lake | W | 4981454 |
4-102 | Timmins | W | 4981455 |
4-103 | Kapuskasing | W | 4981456 |
4-104 | Kenora/Sioux Lookout | W | 4981457 |
4-105 | Iron Bridge | W | 4981458 |
4-106 | Sault Ste. Marie | W | 4981459 |
4-108 | Thunder Bay | W | 4981460 |
4-110 | Steinbach | W | 4981461 |
4-111 | Winnipeg | W | 4981462 |
4-113 | Morden/Winkler | W | 4981463 |
4-114 | Brandon | W | 4981464 |
4-115 | Portage La Prairie | W | 4981465 |
4-117 | Creighton/Flin Flon | W | 4981467 |
4-118 | Thompson | W | 4981468 |
4-128 | Prince Albert | W | 4989500 |
4-130 | Northern Saskatchewan | W | 4981472 |
4-138 | Wetaskiwin/Ponoka | W | 4981473 |
4-141 | Edmonton | W | 4989501 |
4-145 | Barrhead | W | 4981474 |
4-150 | West Kootenay | W | 4981475 |
4-157 | Powell River | W | 4981476 |
4-159 | Merritt | W | 4981477 |
4-160 | Kamloops | W | 4981478 |
4-161 | Ashcroft | W | 4981479 |
4-164 | Williams Lake | W | 4981480 |