Canada’s federal government is being criticized for refusing to hold the wireless spectrum auction needed for telecommunications companies to develop fifth generation (5G) wireless technologies.
Ottawa has announced funding for the development of 5G wireless technology, which could lead to network upgrades that could enable everything from powerful new technologies to improved download speeds and digital quality. But before Canadians see any 5G technology, the federal government must decide how it will allocate the spectrum needed to develop it in a new auction.
Canada’s leading telecommunications companies say they need huge blocks of spectrum — the radio frequencies that carry signals to receivers embedded in smartphones, sensors and other connected devices – in order to create the next generation technologies that consumers want.
“Industry needs that (spectrum) to deliver all of the capabilities of 5G and to keep up with the demand for wireless services,” Eric Smith, a spokesperson for the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association, told The Toronto Star in an interview. “So timely allocation of the necessary spectrum is important.”
The problem, say critics, is that the Canadian government has been dragging its feet when it comes to the allocation of the 600 and 3,500-megahertz spectrums — two frequency bands that could be useful for 5G wireless networks. The telecoms are waiting for the Department of Innovations, Science and Economic Development (ISED) to set out a framework for acquiring 3,500 MHz spectrum, a mid-range set of frequencies that’s been identified as the primary band suitable for the introduction of 5G services.
Consultations on 3,500 MHz won’t be officially launched until the summer and it’s unclear when the auction will be held. In fact, ISED only announced last week the terms for holding a 600 MHz auction next March — years after it began the process of deciding what to do with it.
ISED Minister Navdeep Bains says the government is aware of the importance of 5G technology, and is committed to supporting it, but it wants to get the ground rules right — not just for the industry but for consumers. He says that 600 MHz spectrum is the first of its kind that’s shown potential for 5G wireless use but it’s also well-suited for rural and remote areas — which the government wants served.
Canada’s big three telecommunications companies – Bell, Telus and Rogers – have been running 5G pilots and preparing to spend billions of dollars to upgrade their networks to be ready for the early stages of 5G technology within a year or two.
Minister Bains has said that the Trudeau government is committed to striking the right balance of innovation, coverage and affordable prices when it comes to new wireless technologies. “5G has enormous potential for innovation and we don’t want to rush things. We want to make sure we get this right,” he said last week.
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