CWTA and Look at odds over usage of 1670-1675 MHz band

The Canadian Wireless Telec-ommunications Association and Look Communications don’t see eye to eye on the potential use of the 1670-1675 MHz for mobile television services. Below you will find excerpts of both submissions to Industry Canada consultation on frequency reallocation to the bands below 1.7 GHz. The CWTA Position:The Department has noted that it has already entered fixed and mobile allocations into this band and that the same band has been designated and licensed in the US for flexible use by fixed and mobile services under a nationwide licence to provide innovative wireless distribution services. CWTA generally agrees that harmonization with the US is ideal since it can result in access to technology that is readily available and economic. However, it is not clear at this time that the 1670-1675 MHz band will prove to be a viable and economic alternative for the provision of wireless distribution applications. For example, CWTA understands that Crown Castle Corp., which has been licensed in this band in the US for some time, has yet to deploy a commercial service and is still seeking partners with which to launch its service using Digital Video Broadcast - Handheld (DVB-H) technology. In fact, a number of different spectrum bands and technologies are currently being considered for similar applications in the US, Europe and the Far East. Qualcomm Inc. has been licensed in the UHF TV band and has publicly announced its intention to operate a nationwide mobile TV service in partnership with any interested service providers using Media FLO technology developed by Qualcomm. Apart from these examples, CWTA understands that there are at least four competing technologies that are being developed for the provision of these services using a variety of bands such as the band 470-710 MHz, the "S" band, "L" band, and the bands 2500 MHz and 2600 MHz. Clearly, service offerings using the lower frequency bands will have an advantage over those that operate using higher frequencies since fewer radio base stations will be required to cover a given area using lower frequencies. While, as noted above, the US has already taken steps to reallocate and license some of the UHF TV band for commercial mobile services, it is still not clear if and when this spectrum will be reallocated and licensed for commercial mobile services in Canada. Further, the department has not yet published a final allotment plan for digital television. These open issues make it difficult to assess the viability of the band 1670-1675 MHz for the provision of the proposed services. In light of these ongoing developments and uncertainties, CWTA believes that it would be premature for the department to designate and license the band 1670-1675 MHz as proposed, until the situation is clarified. CWTA also recommends that the department consider the UHF TV transition in the context of emerging mobile TV services and take steps to determine the extent to which it will reallocate some of the UHF TV spectrum and the timing of a licensing process. In the alternative, if the department elects to move forward with the designation and licensing of the band 1670-1675 MHz, then CWTA believes that the department should seriously consider licensing the band to a single consortium of service providers. Taking this action would only help the viability of a service offering in this band by ensuring that a number of service providers and their respective customers would have access to the service. This approach would also overcome the significant practical draw-back that the band is not large enough to divide and license to multiple licensees. Look’s Position:The 1670-1675 MHz band was auctioned by the FCC in the United States as a single national licence in April 2003. The winner of the auction, Crown Castle, has completed trials in Pittsburgh of a mobile broadcast system using DVB-H protocol. Crown Castle announced in January 2006 that its mobile broadcasting subsidiary, Modeo, will start commercial service before the end of 2006 in selected US markets including New York City, and will rollout to a total of 30 US markets during 2007. Current restrictions on the use of this band in Canada will not allow implementation of a service offering comparable to, or compatible with Modeo’s. This prevents Canadians from experiencing the variety of programming and quality of service that Modeo is offering consumers in the US. As interest grows in Modeo’s service offering Canadian service providers will not be able to meet the demands of consumers in Canada. In addition, Canadians traveling in the US will have to buy the service there, rather than relying on roaming agreements made by their Canadian service provider. supports the department’s determination that MSS spectrum should be harmonized, while at the same time withholding authorization for MSS in the 1518-1525 MHz and 1668-1675 MHz bands. This will allow these bands to be used for new fixed and mobile services without the possibility of interference from MSS. supports the department’s proposal to designate the band 1670-1675 MHz for fixed and mobile applications (except aeronautical mobile). This will allow innovative new use of the band such as those being deployed by Modeo in the US.

CWTA and Look at odds over usage of 1670-1675 MHz band

News | May 4, 2006

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