IPC-2-1-23 - Licensing Procedure for Fixed Wireless Access Systems (FWA) Operating in the Band 953-960 MHz by Service Providers

Issue 3
June 2007

Internal Procedures Circular

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This document provides radiocommunication carriers with licensing information for Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) systems operating in the band 953-960 MHz in rural areas. For the purpose of this licensing procedure, FWA generally refers to the use of radio to provide access to a public telecommunications network for telephone and/or data services serving residential and business communities.

Preface

Internal Procedures Circulars are issued for the guidance of departmental staff. Although intended for internal use only, they are also available to the public. The information contained in these circulars is subject to change without notice. It is therefore suggested that interested persons consult the nearest district office of Industry Canada for additional details. While every reasonable effort has been made to ensure accuracy, no warranty is expressed or implied. As well, these circulars have no status in law.

Comments and suggestions may be directed to the following address: 

Industry Canada
Radiocommunications and
Broadcasting Regulatory Branch
300 Slater Street
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0C8

Attention: DOSP
E-mail: spectrum_pubs@ic.gc.ca

All Spectrum Management and Telecommunications publications are available on the following website at: http://strategis.gc.ca/spectrum.

Contents

1. Intent
2. Act and Regulations
3. Related documents
4. Background
5. Eligibility
6. Procedure
7. Licensing Process and Licence Term
   • 7.1 Radio Licence Fee
8. Linking
9. Environmental Process, RF Fields and Land-use Consultation
10. Responsibilities of the Radiocommunication Carriers

1. Intent

This document provides radiocommunication carriers with licensing information for Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) systems operating in the band 953-960 MHz in rural areas. For the purpose of this licensing procedure, FWA generally refers to the use of radio to provide access to a public telecommunications network for telephone and/or data services serving residential and business communities.

2. Act and Regulations

Section 5 of the Radiocommunication Act states that the Minister may issue radio licences with respect to radio apparatus.

Section 13 of the Radiocommunication Regulations states that it is a term of a radio licence issued to a radiocommunication service provider that the subscribers may operate a radio apparatus to which that licence applies.

Section 14 of the Radiocommunication Regulations states that every radiocommunication service provider shall provide each of its subscribers a copy of the terms and conditions of its radio licence that are applicable to those subscribers.

Section 65 of the Radiocommunication Regulations outlines the radio licence fee payable by a radiocommunication service provider in respect of radio apparatus installed in a fixed station.

3. Related documents

Industry Canada documents are available on the Spectrum Management and Telecommunications website at: http://strategis.gc.ca/spectrum in Official Publications.

CPC - Client Procedures Circular
RIC - Radiocommunication Information Circular
RSP - Radio Standards Procedures
SRSP - Standard Radio System Plan

4. Background

Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) (Footnote 1) systems, also known as Wireless Local Loop (WLL) systems are defined as systems that connect fixed subscribers to the public switched telephone network (PSTN) using radio signals as a substitute for copper for all or part of the connection between the subscriber and the switch. Fixed wireless access generally refers to the use of radio to provide access to a public telecommunications network for telephone and/or data services serving residential and business communities. These systems are also referred to as Wireless Local Loop (WLL) systems.

5. Eligibility

This licensing procedure only applies to radiocommunication carriers operating FWA systems in the band 953-960 MHz.

Licences will only be issued to radiocommunication carriers. These licensees must comply on an ongoing basis with the Canadian ownership and control requirements outlined in subsection 10(2) of the Radiocommunication Regulations.

Licensees must notify and obtain approval from the Minister prior to making any changes that would have a material effect on the ownership or control of an entity holding a radio licence. Such notification must be made in advance of any proposed transactions of which licensees have knowledge. For more information, refer to CPC-2-0-15.

It should be noted that persons or entities which own or operate wireless transmission facilities and provide telecommunications to the public for compensation may also be subject to regulation by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) under the Telecommunications Act.

6. Procedure

In order to minimize the administrative burden on both our clients and the Department, applicants wishing to offer Fixed Wireless Access service in rural areas, in the radio frequency bands 953-960 MHz, will be issued a radio station licence as a radiocommunication service provider. Subscribers will not be issued separate radio licences as they will be included in the service provider's radio authorization.

SRSP-300.953 outlines the minimal technical specifications for the effective use of the band for Studio-to-transmitter-links (STL) and FWA systems. Priority to operate in this band will be given to STL systems in certain geographical areas. More details can be found in Section 5 and Appendix 1 of SRSP-300.953.

7. Licensing Process and Licence Term

Radio licences will be issued for one-year terms with licence fees payable by March 31^st of each year.

7.1 Radio Licence Fee

As prescribed by the Radiocommunication Regulations, section 65, the radio licence fee payable by a radiocommunication service provider in respect of radio apparatus installed in a fixed station, other than a fixed station referred to in sections 66 to 71, is for each transmitter and each receiver installed at the station, the sum of the applicable fees set out in Part II of Schedule III that corresponds to the number of telephone channels per radio frequency assigned to that transmitter or receiver.

In order to determine the number of telephone channel equivalency to calculate the radio licence fee, the following formula will be used.

Section 58(c) of the Radiocommunication Regulations states that:

"one digitally modulated channel is equivalent to the number of telephone channels calculated by dividing the modulation bit rate by 64 kilobits per second."

The modulation bit rate is the total number of bits carried from the transmitter to the receiver including, but not limited to, traffic carried for supervisory, error coding, internal communication, etc.

To determine the telephone channel equivalency, divide the modulation bit rate by 64 kbps. For example, for an FWA system operating in the 953 MHz band, the applicable Standard Radio System Plan, in this case SRSP-300.953, states that the total data rate of one 625 kHz radio channel (5x125 kHz) (Footnote 2) is 576 kbps. Therefore, the number of telephone channel equivalency is 576 kbps/64 kbps, 9 channels.

The radio licence fee payable by the radiocommunication service provider is set out in Part II, Schedule III of the Radiocommunication Regulations. In this example, 9 telephone channels fall within the range of item 1 of Schedule III.

Schedule III

PART II

(Sections 55, 56, 58, 61 and 65)

Therefore, the total licence fee for this FWA system is:
 2 (Tx and Rx) X $34.00 = $68.00

A service provider licence (6209 company code) will be issued in accordance with sections 13 and 14 of the Radiocommunication Regulations, which provides the authority for subscriber apparatus through the provider licence. Therefore subscribers do not require individual licensing.

8. Linking

Communications between the main station and repeater stations will normally be provided by wireline telecommunications installations or by using frequencies reserved for point-to-point communications, in accordance with current licensing policies and procedures. Other possibilities will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis and may, when justified, be authorized on a secondary, no-interference, no-protection basis.

9. Environmental Process, RF Fields and Land-use Consultation

Applicants must comply with the procedures, as outlined in Client Procedures Circular 2-0-03.

10. Responsibilities of the Radiocommunication Carriers

While site-specific radio authorizations will not be issued to subscriber stations, licensees must ensure that:

• radio installations are installed and operate in a manner that complies with Health Canada's limits of exposure to radio frequency fields;

• where applicable, antenna structures are marked in accordance with the recommendations of Transport Canada;

• prior to installation of significant antenna structures, consultation with the appropriate land-use authorities has taken place;

• installation of any significant antenna structure must be delayed for a period of time sufficient for departmental review where, after considering reasonable alternatives and consultation options, land-use consultation negotiations remain at an impasse;

• the subscriber stations do not cause interference to other licensees;

• any interference situations that may be caused by any subscriber stations are resolved; and

• there is cooperation with the operator(s) of the affected stations and the Department, to assist in resolving the interference problem without delay.

Radio apparatus must be certified in accordance with the applicable Radio Standards Specification and conform with the Standard Radio System Plan for the applicable band.

Footnotes

1. For the purpose of this licensing procedure, FWA also applies to systems commonly referred to as Extended Radio Telephone Service (ERTS), Subscriber Radio System (SRS) etc.

2. For FWA applications, a minimum of five contiguous 125 kHz channels are necessary.