Results of auction of residual licences will put more spectrum to use, including in rural and remote areas
Better prices, more competition and increased reliability in the telecommunications sector have never been more important for Canadians. To support these goals, the Government of Canada continues to make spectrum available to improve telecom services.
Today, the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, announced that more Canadians will benefit from higher-quality telecom services as a result of the auction of residual spectrum licences that concluded on July 19. In total, 56 licences, mainly in rural and remote areas, were awarded to nine Canadian companies, with two thirds of the licences being awarded to small and regional providers. This includes five companies that are being awarded spectrum licences for the first time.
In addition to encouraging competition and innovation, the results of this auction will improve rural and remote connectivity and support the effective deployment of 5G technologies.
Licences awarded in this auction include ambitious deployment requirements to ensure that providers use this spectrum to offer services to Canadians in a timely manner.
