New Canadian operator Globalive Communications – backed by Middle East giant Orascom Telecom – plans to launch services in the second half of next year and is to enter talks with private investors and other service providers to further help network rollout. Globalive was one of the winner’s in Canada’s recent Advanced Wireless Services (AWS) spectrum auction, bidding C$442 million (US$415 million) for licenses to provide coverage to a population of 26 million, covering all major areas except Quebec. Reuters reports that Globalive CEO Anthor Lacavera said this week the company “will reach out to everyone” in order to hit its target of about 1.5 million subscribers in the first three years of operation.

Globalive already offers Internet and landline services to around a million Canadian customers, but aims to take on the country’s ‘big three’ mobile operators – Rogers Wireless, Telus and Bell Mobility – with a potential flat-rate voice and data service offering. Reuters adds that Globalive yesterday launched a ‘soapbox’ website to gather consumers’ opinions about what they seek in a mobile provider. Other new entrants from the AWS auction, which raised a total of C$4.25 billion (US$3.99 billion), include Quebecor, Data & Audio-Visual Enterprises Wireless and Shaw Communications. A total of 282 licenses were conditionally assigned to 15 companies.