With Verizon set to pass on acquiring WIND Mobile or Mobilicity or even both for now, WIND Mobile may move forward with its own bid for its beleaguered competitor. None other than WIND Mobile CEO and chairman Anthony Lacavera said that he is now considering making the acquisition with Verizon apparently out of the picture. “It puts me in a position to move on Mobilicity before the (spectrum) auction,” he explained.
Lacavera expects to make his move before the September 17th deadline by which participants in the upcoming 2014 700MHz spectrum auction must register and put down their refundable deposit. Lacavera explained that his bid can only work if Verizon is not bidding as well. “I can’t outbid Verizon. So if they really want to buy it before the auction I’m not going to be successful. It’s just a mathematical reality,” he said.
It’s not the first time that Lacavera has suggested that WIND Mobile and Mobilicity should join forces. As recently as early June, Lacavera told Reuters that “Our past offers for Mobilicity stand and we look forward to having ongoing discussions with them.”
As for Verizon’s own plans, two more interesting possibilities have come up. The U.S. carrier may have decided to go at it alone by building up its own network or it could opt to partner with a Canadian carrier to participate in the auction to buy spectrum. Rather than launching its own network, it would establish a new roaming partnership with said partner and avoid paying such fees to the incumbent carriers.
If nothing else, the weeks leading up to the 700MHz spectrum auction registration deadline are sure to be interesting.
Source : McLean's