CBC and RCMP spar over spectrum for public safety comm at Spectrum 20/20

Police and other public safety agencies continue to press for dedicated spectrum for their networks as broadcasters take baby steps toward releasing some of their holdings in advance of a better understood digital broadcast environment. At the Spectrum 20/20 conference earlier this month, a representative from the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. (CBC) and the RCMP’s former chief information officer (CIO) sparred over access to broadcast spectrum for public protection disaster relief (PPDR) communications systems. The public broadcaster said it’s too early to give spectrum away for public safety because of issues relating to the transition to digital television technology, while the national law enforcement group reiterated its need for a reliable network. François Conway, senior director of strategy, planning and technology at the CBC, said that while releasing broadcast spectrum for public safety services could happen in the future, there are still a number of uncertainties that need to be dealt with before that becomes a reality. Broadcasters, public safety groups and other stakeholders will have to balance the transition to digital TV, while also allowing new services to flourish, he added. Responding to a question on whether the broadcaster would be willing to share its spectrum or maintain a firm hold on the resource, Conway said that there will be greater efficiency in a digital TV environment. But there will be a greater understanding of the spectrum requirements and abilities of other services once digital TV is established, he noted. "Maybe we can share the spectrum, but there is still concern about potential interference," Conway said. John L’Abbé, principal consultant, retired assistant commissioner, and CIO of the RCMP, said the question of having a dedicated network for PPDR communications or relying to a greater degree on public wireless networks is a red herring. "The issue is about whether you can get coverage. It’s not about who owns the network," he stated during the session on spectrum management challenges. If the network were to break down, can public safety and law enforcement organizations rely on the carriers to fix the network quickly? L’Abbé asked. That is highly unlikely in rural and remote areas, he said, because the business cases don’t exist for those areas. L’Abbé indicated that the different pace at which administrations in Canada and the United States are working toward a solution of finding space for PPDR is another key problem with public safety systems. If the Radiocommunication Act dedicated spectrum for PPDR, it would simplify a lot of issues such as standardization and interoperability, he added. Conway noted, however, that there are already a large number of communications systems in the VHF and UHF bands. Using them more effectively is one possible solution instead of looking to broadcasters’ vast spectrum holdings and asking for a greater portion of that bandwidth. In another session on smart regulation, engineering consultant Wayne Stacey said that there will always be a need for over-the-air television spectrum. He noted that a significant number of CBC viewers receive the public broadcasting network over-the-air and that 10% to 15% of Canadians will never subscribe to cable or satellite TV service. Bill Cailes, manager systems engineering group at M/A-COM Canada, leveled harsh criticism at Industry Canada for inhibiting the allocation of spectrum in channels 63 and 68 for land mobile systems. Before considering technical challenges for operators, the department must make this spectrum available, he said.

CBC and RCMP spar over spectrum for public safety comm at Spectrum 20/20

Broadcast | December 16, 2003

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