On November 23, 2023, Innovation, Science, and Economic Development (ISED) Canada concluded its auction of spectrum licenses in the 3800 MHz band, which is an important band for 5G wireless service. The auction used a clock auction format with intra-round bidding to allocate thousands of spectrum licenses. The design followed a two-stage process in which generic licenses were allocated in the first stage, and then specific frequencies were assigned in a subsequent assignment stage.
The Secretariat team of Allan Ingraham, Shreyas Ravi, and William Schwartz supported the Canadian government as independent verifiers of the 3800 MHz auction. In this role, the Secretariat team independently verified the software that ISED used to conduct the 3800 MHz auction. We then verified the accuracy of the results from the assignment stage of the auction.
The 3800 MHz auction lasted 21 bidding days. It began on October 24, 2023, and it successfully concluded on November 24, 2023. The auction raised $2.158 billion Canadian for the allocation of 4,099 licenses via competitive bidding.
The auction licensing framework and the provisional results are both available on ISED’s website: auction licensing framework, provisional results.
Secretariat’s Norman Harrison and Ben Boorer, together with Taylor Wessing attorneys Natasha Zahid and Mohammed Tartir, dive into the latest whistleblower issues and trends across the US, Europe, and the Middle East in their article, “When the Whistle Blows.”
Secretariat Experts Contribute to “2024 Annual Review of Antitrust Law Developments”
Secretariat team members Stuart Gurrea, Jéssica Dutra, Wei Tan, Pablo Varas, and Noah Case have contributed to “Chapter I — Restraints of Trade” in the recently published “2024 Annual Review of Antitrust Law Developments” from the ABA Antitrust Law Section. Michael Koenig contributed to “Chapter VIII — Civil Government Enforcement”.
Norman Harrison Named as 2025 Top Consultant by Consulting Magazine
Secretariat is proud to celebrate Norman Harrison’s recognition as a 2025 Top Consultant for Excellence in Regulation and Compliance by Consulting Magazine. This prestigious honor highlights his exceptional contributions to the consulting profession, particularly in helping clients navigate complex regulatory landscapes and ensuing investigations and disputes, as well as resolve compliance issues in highly regulated industries.