Mobilicity has dismissed the notion that Canada’s incumbent wireless carriers require more spectrum, saying that Bell Mobility, Rogers Wireless and Telus Mobility collectively have almost five times the spectrum of AT&T in the U.S. with only a third of AT&T’s customer base.
The unlimited wireless carrier made the statements Friday afternoon in response to just-released submissions in Industry Canada’s consultation paper for the 700MHz-spectrum auction, in which the incumbents claimed they require more spectrum and that set-asides are not required for new entrants.
Mobilicity chairman John Bitove said, “For years, Canada’s Big Three ‘tri-opoly’ have been acting like squirrels preparing for a 50-year winter. They hoard spectrum to keep others from giving consumers an affordable choice and Canadians have been paying the price for their self-serving interests for far too long.
“Canada has the most expensive wireless rates in the developed world. That’s not likely to change until the government sets a maximum cap on spectrum and a pure-play wireless company like Mobilicity is allowed to cut through the lofty telco–cableco family pacts and continue to bring true competition.”
Mobilicity will participate in the upcoming 700MHz auction. Growing at a faster trajectory than any other new entrant, Mobilicity is preparing for the anticipated explosive growth in data-driven devices like smartphones and tablets – especially since Mobilicity customers can add unlimited data to any of its plans for $10 a month.
“The upcoming auction has the ability to help sustain a new competitive environment for Canadian consumers,” said Bitove. "The past practices and habits of the Big Three have to be stopped. Now is the time for the federal government to ensure Canada’s wireless sector has healthy competition for years to come."