Allocate dedicated spectrum for public safety purposes, Industry Canada told

Several high-profile organizations are asking Industry Canada to set aside a slice of airwaves in the upper 4 GHz band to support public safety operations as the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has already done. Two public safety groups and one major equipment vendor want the department to designate 50 MHz solely for public safety use. The request is contained in comments filed with Industry Canada on a larger proposal from the department to modify spectrum rules in the 3-30 GHz range (DGTP 001-02). Such an allocation would follow a similar move in the United States, which saw the FCC designate the frequencies 4940-4990 MHz for public safety use earlier this year. The Association of Public Safety Communications Officials of Canada (APCO Canada), with the support of City of Toronto Fire Services and Motorola Canada Ltd., want a harmonized frequency allocation with that of the U.S. and say that following the FCC’s move would have enormous benefits to public safety organizations in Canada. The FCC is also exploring public safety uses of ultra-wideband technology and is trying to improve the situation for users in the 800 MHz band. Potential Public Safety Broadband ApplicationsPersonal area network and vehicle area network (PAN/VAN) systems that provide a wireless link between a mobile transceiver and numerous portable computing devices such as video cameras, sensors and 3D locators often found in helmets and suits. Wireless local area network (WLAN) on-scene/incident command systems that provide high-capacity links offering real-time multimedia communications. Wireless fixed "hot spot" locations that provide automatic high-speed file downloading and uploading of large data files at pre-determined locations to and from vehicular computers."This would allow Canadian public safety agencies to have access to new wireless tools that will become available elsewhere and to take advantage of the benefits of harmonization," APCO Canada writes in its April 30 comments. "These benefits include reduced costs, wider availability of equipment and the potential for interoperability for all Canadian public safety agencies." Public safety system standardization and interoperability were hot topics of discussion at a recent conference in Ottawa. At the National Public Safety Radiocommunications Conference in March, law enforcement agencies, equipment vendors, the wireless industry, and government leaders discussed current obstacles to attaining standardized and interoperable radiocommunications among the various public safety groups in Canada (RoW, April 3/02). High-level discussions into determining the requirements of public safety groups are ongoing. Hope is that some consensus will be reached before APCO Canada’s annual conference this September in Saskatoon (RoW, April 16/02). This isn’t just a North American problem, either. Telecommunications groups from other parts of the world are also discussing the issue of trying to find a suitable band that could be allocated for public protection disaster relief on a global basis. The International Telecommunication Union will be considering such a proposal, commonly referred to as Agenda Item 1.3, for a worldwide harmonized band at the next World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-03) in Caracas, Venezuela. Motorola Canada writes in its comments to the department that the upper 4 GHz band represents the best possible solution in harmonizing with the U.S. Two clear benefits of this allocation would be 50 MHz of contiguous spectrum, which has ideal propagation characteristics. Also, "the allocation of this band would allow public safety agencies to leverage the standards based commercial technologies in the adjacent 5 GHz unlicensed bands into a more protected spectrum environment that offers reliability and assures the safety of their officers and first responders," the company writes in its April 30 comments. APCO Canada agrees with Motorola that the adjacent 5 GHz equipment will provide inexpensive equipment, but adds public safety organizations need their own airwaves. "We must have dedicated spectrum and systems that assure the safety of our personnel via immediate priority access, uninterrupted transmissions, and guaranteed coverage and reliability," writes APCO Canada. However, not every group is satisfied that an immediate harmonization with the United States is called for. Telus Mobility wants a separate Industry Canada consultation on the priority use issue because of the concept’s vague definition. "Priority use can mean exclusive use of a band in a given geographic area or exclusive use of a portion of a commercial service in a given area for a given time," the company writes, adding that it supports the latter approach. The Canadian government’s defence operations will also be affected by the allocation of the 4940-4990 MHz band for public safety uses. Under the Industry Canada proposal, much of the Canadian government’s spectrum operations will be migrated to the 4400-4990 MHz bands and that includes defence. While the Department of National Defence (DND) welcomes the opening up of more spectrum for its operations, it will lose 50 MHz of spectrum currently used for its tactical radio relay (TRR) systems. "The proposal of Industry Canada to give DND compensatory spectrum from the 4800-4900 MHz for the loss of the 4940-4990 MHz is essential and crucial for the continued use of TRR for training and exercises by the Canadian and visiting Forces in Canada," DND writes. APCO Canada states that for effective public safety operations, these groups need the right tools to perform their tasks. "Communications is at or near the top of the list of those essential tools. Public safety communications, in turn, depends upon an adequate supply of appropriate radio spectrum dedicated for public safety use," the group writes.

Allocate dedicated spectrum for public safety purposes, Industry Canada told

News | 05/27/2002 4:00 am EDT

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