Industry Canada intervenes in CRTC’s review of OTA television

In a letter to the CRTC regarding its review of over-the-air (OTA) television (Public Notice 2006-5; see cover story), Industry Canada offers insight on its rules for using the spectrum allocated to TV channels 2 to 69 and suggests the commission declare a specific shutdown date for analog TV. Below is an edited excerpt of the letter from Industry Canada assistant deputy minister Michael Binder. In an effort to further encourage the implementation of digital television (DTV) in Canada and move towards the freeing-up of valuable spectrum resources for new advanced wireless services, permit me to advise the commission and broadcasting applicants of the following criteria that Industry Canada will apply when receiving applications for the use of television channels 2-69. Effective January 2007, the department will apply the following channel-specific criteria when receiving applications for broadcasting certificates: Channels 52-69No broadcasting certificates will be granted for: new analog television stations; applications predicated on changes to the technical parameters of existing analog television stations which would result in increased spectrum utilization; and new digital television stations, except for a digital channel allotment that is already associated with an existing analog station. Such a certification would only be valid until the transition to DTV has been completed. Channels 2-51No broadcasting certificates will be granted for: new analog television stations, except for those ones already predicated in the digital television transition allotment plan on paired allotments with both the analog and digital channels in the 2-51 channel range; and the provision of analog broadcasting on a digital channel allotment. Advanced wireless services in television channels 2-59In regard to Industry Canada’s recent radio system policy RP-06 on the use of television channels 2-59 to provide advanced wireless services to remote rural areas of Canada, the department would like to further advise the commission and broadcasting applicants that, with a view to ensuring that new remote rural applications do not constrain broadcasting services, the department will only consider authorizing fixed radiocommunication applications, such as fixed wireless access. ...In consultation with the industry, the department is now developing a post-transition DTV allotment plan that will eventually accommodate DTV broadcasting in channels 2-51. In a post-DTV transition environment, broadcasters will be no longer be permitted to use their extra channel that they may have been using during the transition period from analog to digital television services. Given the potential for alternative use of spectrum to be freed up by the transition to DTV, Industry Canada is of the view, from the perspective of efficient and effective management of the radio spectrum, that serious consideration should be given to specifying a date for the shut down of OTA analog television. Such a date could be closely aligned within a North American market with a view to ensuring that Canadians will be able to receive Canadian OTA DTV within a North American market time frame. This could also contribute to Canadian broadcasters maintaining their viewership, particularly in markets along the Canada/US border where American television stations are rapidly moving to DTV.

Industry Canada intervenes in CRTC’s review of OTA television

Broadcast | October 11, 2006

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