going once…

As we at iphoneapp.net recently learned, we may have some more good news on the way. No- it’s not leaked 3G iPhone pictures. It’s even more exciting than that: the Canadian government just announced their plans to open up sections of the wireless spectrum to bidding. There are several sections totalling 105 MHz around the 2 GHz range being made available: 1710-1755 MHz, 1865-1915 MHz, 1950-1995 MHz.

Current GSM cellular service in Canada uses the 850 MHz and 1900 MHz range making most of the auctioned sections choice blocks for wireless providers, especially for patient iPhone users that might be looking for alternatives to Rogers. An optimistic spectator might see this as a chance for another company to use their newly acquired bandwidth to offer competing GSM cellular service. While this is more long-term in scope, it has the potential to radically change the Canadian wireless landscape.

Unlike the recent auction in the U.S., this is an open auction- bid amounts and round winners will be made available to the public during the auction.
Among the expected bidders- the “big 3″ of Rogers, Bell, and Telus- are approximately 20 other companies looking to pick up bands of spectrum. It should be noted that not all of these 20 bidders are looking for spectrum that is suitable for cellular/wireless service as the auction is not only for the ~2Ghz range but also for much higher frequencies expected to be used for broadband internet.
Hopefully this is what is needed open the door to more competition in the Canadian Wireless market.