The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) today gave Public Mobile a conditional approval to begin operations as the latest Canadian carrier.
The Commission finds that, upon completion of the required modifications to the USA set out in the Appendix to this decision, PMI will be Canadian‑owned and controlled, meeting the requirements set out in section 16 of the Act, and will be eligible to operate as a telecommunications common carrier.
Despite having received significant US financial investment, Public Mobile’s ownership structure was considered less controversial and complicated than that of WIND Mobile’s parent company Globalive. As a result, the CRTC’s approval had been pretty much expected. Still it came with some conditions, including that “directors present at a meeting be at least 80 percent Canadian Directors for the board to transact business.”
Public Mobile bought about CA$52 million of spectrum in 2008. It recently opened stores in Toronto and Montreal in preparation for the launch of its network in May.