Department looks to improve access, transparency to radio licensing data

High-volume spectrum users may find it easier to build out their networks and better manage spectrum resources if federal officials green-light a new access-to-information policy. Industry Canada says the proposal (DGRB – 005-01) would create a level of transparency for users in obtaining and analyzing radio spectrum information. The end result would be less red tape, for both the department and spectrum users. "What we’re trying to do is to create a situation where users have easier access to information," says Darius Breau, manager operational policy at Industry Canada. "Particularly for those users which have the capabilities to do some work for themselves in terms of determining whether or not a given frequency is useable in a given environment." Much of the impetus for this proposed policy comes from the Railway Association of Canada’s use of spectrum. The RAC is a huge consumer of radio frequencies and has a single spectrum licence covering the entire country. The association was awarded the single spectrum licence nearly 18 months ago replacing its approximately 5,000 apparatus licences (RoW, April 17/00). Under current conditions, large volume users, such as the RAC and others, have to apply to the government to find out if a proposed station will cause interference. The new system would allow the RAC, for example, to do all the verification itself. Government databases would be updated by the user giving the next party access to up-to-date information. "When it comes to deploy a station along the railway track or in a yard in downtown Montreal, we want (the RAC) to have access to all our database so it can do their own (tests) and at the end of the day, it will simply deploy the station," explains Breau. "So when we go to license the next station in either an adjacent channel or station co-channel in an adjacent area, we would know all that is deployed within the railway association (allotment)." Large telcos are also expressing support for such a move, says Breau. These companies have the resources to handle their own spectrum management and to determine where stations can be deployed. "They’re quite capable of doing that, they have the wherewithal to do it right now, they just simply want the tools to do it (more effectively)," he told Report on Wireless. Opposition likely to come from law enforcement groups While opening up government databases to large spectrum users may seem worthwhile on the surface, there is the potential for some opposition to the plan from groups concerned about sensitive information becoming public. Breau admits that some groups may want access limited to certain organizations. "If you’re a public safety organization, you’ll want to minimize the amount of information we’re going to make public in terms of where installations are," he says. "That’s particularly a concern because if nefarious folks become aware of (that information), they may sabotage them." As for the private sector, making certain information public could provide a company with information on where a competitor’s stations are going to be deployed. Breau would only speculate on the issue saying, "we don’t know, but we’ll see what the reaction is."

Department looks to improve access, transparency to radio licensing data

News | August 21, 2001

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