Industry Canada and FCC Sign Interim Sharing Arrangement Concerning the Use of the Frequency Bands 2305-2320 MHz and 2345-2360 MHz by Stations in the WCS in the Border Area - Announcement

OTTAWA, July 25, 2003 - Industry Canada and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) have signed an Interim Sharing Arrangement concerning the use of the frequency bands 2305-2320 MHz and 2345-2360 MHz by stations in the Wireless Communications Service (WCS) within 120 km of the Canada/United States of America border. The Arrangement applies to stations of WCS in the fixed and mobile (except aeronautical) services; it does not apply to the Digital Audio Radio Service (DARS) by satellite nor its terrestrial repeater applications.

This Arrangement supports licensee-to-licensee coordination of WCS stations for their respective service areas on both sides of the border. Additional coordination is required with respect to specified fixed microwave stations pursuant to Section 4 of the Arrangement.

Copies of the Interim Arrangement are available on the Spectrum Management and Telecommunications Web site at the following address: http://strategis.gc.ca/spectrum.

July 25, 2003

R.W. McCaughern
Director General
Spectrum Engineering Branch