U.S. wants Canada to adopt its plan for provision of spectrum for public safety

New and overriding security concerns in the U.S. have prompted officials there to again demand that Canada align its DTV spectrum allocations with theirs. The frequency in question has been approved for use by public safety mobile operators in the U.S clamoring for additional UHF bandwidth. Its use in Canada to provide analog TV signals in channels 60-69, and eventually for DTV signals, could mean interference with those applications in border areas leading to U.S. demands for harmonization in the 700 MHz band. "As public safety now must deal with international terrorism in the face of the Sept. 11 catastrophe, the true significance and importance of international public safety cooperation, coordination, and interoperability becomes readily apparent," the U.S.-based National Public Safety Telecommunications Council (NPSTC) writes in September 21 comments to Industry Canada (DGTP-004-01). "While these concepts were always highly desirable in the past, they now represent the cornerstones of national security." The Federal Communications Commission opened the band to use by public safety operators in 1997 with the Balanced Budget Act. Within this band, the FCC set aside 24 MHz of spectrum. While the U.S. public safety community lauds Industry Canada’s decision to move on clearing out portions of this band, it is, however, concerned about Canada’s current plan (RoW, July 9/01). "For some time, NTSTC and the public safety community have been concerned that Canada’s previous proposed DTV allotments do not leave clear the 700 MHz band of DTV and broadcast services in the same fashion as the U.S.," it writes. "In fact, the large number of Canadian DTV allotments currently within channels 60-69 mean that most of Canada’s population, as well as many U.S. states, will not be able to access the 700 MHz spectrum for public safety." Under current DTV band plans, public safety groups in the Windsor ON to Quebec City QC corridor won’t be able to use the 700 MHz band. Spectrum is also in short supply in Vancouver and is having an effect on Washington State. "The problem is that in many major urban areas incumbent TV broadcasters on both sides of the border are preventing public safety agencies from being able to implement mission critical systems in this much needed spectrum," writes Gil Kerlikowske, chief of police in the city of Seattle. "While a number of border states have already applied for narrow band licences, most of the Great Lakes states as well as Washington State cannot use this spectrum until both U.S. and Canadian incumbent TV broadcasters vacate this band. The Office for Technology for the State of New York writes that harmonization is the most desirable manner in which to make these services available to as many people as possible. "Interoperability between Canadian and U.S. public safety can not be realized unless the band plans of both countries support it," the New York state department writes. "Therefore at a minimum, Canada should harmonize its public safety spectrum with the U.S. by adopting the same general use and interoperability channels format as the band plan adopted in the U.S."

U.S. wants Canada to adopt its plan for provision of spectrum for public safety

News | October 15, 2001

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