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The federal government wants to give new entrants to Canada’s wireless market a leg up against the Big Three providers when it auctions off the next block of wireless spectrum.

On Friday, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada launched a consultation on the framework to auction spectrum licences in the 600 MHz band, a particularly valuable block of radio frequencies needed to power the growing demand for mobile communications.

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Of the 70 MHz of spectrum available, the ministry proposed setting aside 30 MHz –43 per cent – for facilities-based wireless providers that have less than 10 per cent of the national wireless subscriber market share.

That includes regional carriers Shaw Communications Inc.’s Freedom Mobile and Quebecor Inc.’s Videotron. But it excludes incumbents BCE Inc., Rogers Communications Inc. and Telus Corp., which each serve roughly 30 per cent of Canada’s approximately 30 million wireless subscribers.