Industry Canada kicks off process to give more flexibility to MCS/MDS licensees

Looking to provide greater flexibility for fixed wireless Internet (MCS) and wireless cable TV (MDS) providers, Industry Canada has initiated a consultation that could result in the introduction of additional high-speed mobile services. The department wants to transition current licensees in the 2500-2696 MHz band to broadband radio service (BRS) authorizations that support a mix of services, including mobile, fixed and broadcasting. They are referred to as flexible-use licences. “The department is committed to taking the necessary steps for the implementation of BRS in order to increase flexibility in service provision that would benefit Canadians by enabling the development of competitive high-speed mobile services,” reads the consultation document. “To this end, the department is initiating the consultation process to determine whether to renew the licences and continue with voluntary conversion to BRS, or adopt a firm transition date for the implementation of BRS and related transition policies.” Craig Wireless Systems Ltd. is one such licensee that has already transitioned to the BRS spectrum licence. The company noted last spring that its approval was imminent. Craig Wireless received official approval in December, which enables the company to deploy a mobile WiMAX network while also continuing to offer broadcast services. MCS and MDS were originally licensed about 10 years ago with the goal of injecting more competition in the high-speed Internet market on one hand and the cable TV market on the other. Industry Canada later added a mobile service allocation to the band in 2001 after the World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC) in 2000 decided to designate the band for mobile services. After a consultation in 2004, the department released a policy in 2006 allowing operators to implement mobile services by switching their current licences for new broadband radio service (BRS) licences. But to do so, they had to return 30% of their spectrum holdings in this band. While this policy set the rules for mobile service adoption in MCS/MDS band, it also created some uncertainty because the department didn’t set a hard deadline for switching to the BRS spectrum licence system, and converting to the new licences was voluntary. Continuing with voluntary conversion will result in a piecemeal process, making the transition to a new band plan more challenging, according to Industry Canada. “Setting a firm transition date would facilitate the adjustment of incumbents to a new band plan to be consulted on in the near future,” reads the consultation. “It would allow for a single release of the spectrum currently held by the department, along with the spectrum made available as a result of the conversion and transition to BRS licensing.”

Industry Canada kicks off process to give more flexibility to MCS/MDS licensees

News | March 19, 2009

Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need.

FREE TRIAL

SUBSCRIBE

Inside The Wire Report

Information

Hill Times Publishing

Get in Touch With Us