Overview of LYA’s Wireless Practice

LYA has been actively involved in all aspects of mobile and fixed communications for more than fifteen years. Our expertise and experience range from spectrum policy to licensing and spectrum auctions, due diligence and valuation of wireless telecommunications operators, coupled with an in-depth understanding of technologies and wireless applications.

LYA brings both hands-on experience and intimate understanding of wireless markets in Canada and in the US as well as of countries in Europe, Asia, Latin America and the South Pacific.

LYA’s team is comprised of recognised experts to support your new wireless services ventures, network deployment planning and decision making process as well as to validate your capital investment plans prior to obtaining approval for new initiatives.

Spectrum strategy, licensing and auctions

LYA are recognised experts in all aspects related to spectrum from public policy development to licensing and spectrum auctions.  LYA’s expertise covers all license conditions such as license fees, roaming and network and tower sharing and other conditions which impact the attractiveness of each spectrum license.

LYA has participated on behalf of its clients in all spectrum auctions in Canada since 1999, including preparation and development of strategy prior to the auction and hands-on support during the auctions. LYA also offers the LYA Auction Tracking Tool to provide bidder support during spectrum auctions.

LYA’s expertise is recognised by spectrum licensing authorities and regulators.

Wireless applications, market analyses and forecasting

LYA tracks and benchmarks the performance of wireless carriers and service providers. Our in-house database spans multiple years and in some cases more than 10 years of operating and investment metrics. Some of the metrics and information captured in our tracking include:

• Subscriber additions for post pay and prepaid, gross and net additions
• Churn rates
• ARPU for post pay and prepaid, voice and data
• Capital investment
• Operating costs
• Cost of acquisition
• Minute of Use for voice services
• SMS usage
• Long distance usage
• Prices for various mobile service packages
• Handsets offered by various carriers and service providers
• Etc.

LYA has also been monitoring, assessing and forecasting the penetration of handsets with enhanced media capabilities as well as mobile applications from short message service to mobile TV, video downloads and mobile Internet access, among other applications.

Spectrum bands, technologies and network deployment

LYA’s expertise and experience covers the entire range of mobile and fixed wireless technologies and spectrum bands for deployment of these technologies. This includes all mobile bands from 700 MHz to PCS and AWS bands, and fixed or portable use wireless spectrum bands from 2.5 GHz to 24 GHz and 38 GHz.

Technologies covered in our consulting activities include HSPA, CDMA2000, WCDMA, 1XRTT, EVDO, LTE as well as WiMAX, Wi-Fi, and various point to multipoint or point to point technologies deployed in specific spectrum bands.

LYA’s clientele

LYA’s clientele includes existing as well as emerging mobile and fixed wireless carriers and service providers, wireless site operators and builders, media organizations and broadcasters, both conventional in addition to digital and specialty/web broadcasters, application platform developers, investors and lenders as well as regulatory agencies and government departments involved in developing spectrum policy and spectrum licensing frameworks.

LYA has assisted many carriers and investors in launching new wireless ventures in Canada and abroad and in participating in spectrum auctions.

LYA’s technology and market analyses and forecasts have been supporting new media activities of broadcasters and other content providers as well as of application platform developers for a number of years.

Furthermore, LYA has assisted clients internationally and specifically completed mandates in the following countries:

• Canada
• United States of America
• United Kingdom
• Pakistan
• China
• Chile
• Brazil
• Poland
• Romania
• Vietnam
• Samoa