Industry Canada needs to adopt soft-partitioning in Ka-band spectrum

Industry Canada has ignored an important aspect of future spectrum policy in proposing not to implement soft- partitioning in the Ka-band spectrum frequency range, a group of satellite companies and the Radio Advisory Board of Canada (RABC) have told the department. The companies were responding to proposed changes to the Canadian Table of Frequency Allocations, announced in DGTP-002-02. Soft-partitioning is a method of ensuring the continued operation of both terrestrial fixed services and satellite fixed services in the same Ka-band frequency range. This can be achieved by giving certain sub-bands primary status over others. The companies say that proposed revisions to allocations must be similar to proposed modifications to spectrum in the 3-30 GHz range (DGTP-001-02), a public consultation that was undertaken earlier this year (RoW Update, Jan. 28/02). They add that changes to the frequency table also need to reflect ongoing efforts to harmonize spectrum policies with those of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and other international telecommunications administrations. In its June 14 comments, the RABC urges the department to ensure any changes to the table of frequency allocations reflect results from the previous 3-30 GHz review. Specifically, it says proposed footnotes (CYY and C16A) for multimedia satellites operating in the Ka-band don’t seem to fall in line with sound spectrum policy given not-so-recent developments in the United States. The board points to a June 2000 FCC Report and Order that allocates bands in the 18 GHz and 28 GHz range for blanket licensing. "The application of Canadian footnotes CYY and C16A to the bands 18.58-18.8 GHz, 28.35-28.6 GHz and 29.25-29.5 GHz and the application of C16A to the bands 18.8-19.3 GHz and 29.25-29.5 GHz is consistent neither with FCC decisions nor with RABC proposals in response to DGTP-001-02," the board writes. Commenting further, the RABC refers to past submissions to the department in supporting soft-partitioning of the Ka-band. "Accordingly, the board urges the department not to adopt footnote CYY, but rather to adopt soft-partitioning footnotes as proposed by the board in its response to DGTP-001-02," it writes. Throwing support behind the RABC comments are Teledesic (Canada) Inc. and other satellite interests. Teledesic agrees with the RABC in the adoption of the soft-partitioning approach to the Ka-band, noting the board had submitted specific footnotes to implement this type of partitioning. "o mention of this soft-partitioning approach is made with respect to proposed revisions to the Canadian Table as contained in the consultation," the company writes. It urges the department to remove certain bands from footnote C16A, to adopt the RABC’s proposed footnotes rather than the CYY footnote, and issue the results of the two consultations at the same time. This proceeding represents an opportunity for the Canadian government to align its table of frequency allocations with that of the International Telecommunications Union, Teledesic notes. It will also "enshrine important decisions within the Ka-band in order to achieve several important policy goals for the harmonious development of the fixed-satellite and fixed services markets," it adds. "The department must ensure that the two documents – the Canadian Table of Frequency Allocations and the Spectrum Policies in the 3-30 GHz band – do not conflict. Any decision taken as a result of the first consultation should also be reflected in the Canadian Table of Frequency Allocations," Teledesic notes.

Industry Canada needs to adopt soft-partitioning in Ka-band spectrum

News | 07/09/2002 4:00 am EDT

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