Over in Canada they are gearing up to auction off the 700 MHz spectrum, which is the band that television broadcasters are freeing up as they make the switch to digital, and that spectrum could be free for mobile data services.

According to the Ottawa Citizen, Rogers wants in on the 700 MHz spectrum auction, and the chief exec of Rogers Communications, Nadir Mohamed, has warned federal officials that preventing big communication companies from bidding is a “recipe for leaving Canada behind,” other economies.

Rogers, Telus and Bell are lobbying the government to allow unencumbered bidding for the entire 700 MHz band, while Videotron and Wind Mobile have asked for a portion of the 700 MHz band to be set aside, with Wind saying the entire block should be put aside for new entrant to compete against the three main Canadian providers.

Apparently Rogers, Telus and Bell are shut out of the auction for the 700 MHz band that is due to begin next year, and Mohamed has said the Canadian market and broader economy would suffer, and remarked at their annual meeting in Toronto, “We need public policy that spurs growth and innovation, that rewards those with a track record and a commitment to innovating and investing.”