CPC-2-1-03 — Licensing Radiocommunication Systems Using FM Subsidiary Communication Multiplex Operation (FM/SCMO) or Digital Radio Broadcasting (DRB) Installations

Issue 2
October 2008

Notice: The fees prescribed in the Radiocommunication Regulations, as referenced in this document, will be adjusted annually as per the requirements of the Service Fees Act. Fees currently in effect are published on the Spectrum and telecommunications fees web page.

Comments and suggestions may be directed to the following address:

Industry Canada
Spectrum Management and Operations Branch
235 Queen Street
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0H5

Attention: DOS

email: ic.spectrumpublications-publicationsduspectre.ic@canada.ca

AllSpectrum Management and Telecommunications publications are available on the following website: http://www.ic.gc.ca/spectrum.

Contents

Principle

Theradio frequency spectrum is a natural resource to which all Canadians areentitled access for the purpose of carrying out their business affairs.

Mandate

Section 5 of the Radiocommunication Act states that the Minister may issue radiolicences in respect of radio apparatus.

Policy

In Canada Gazette Notice DGTP-007-97 dated September 27, 1997, Industry Canada announced the release of a Spectrum Utilization Policy entitled Spectrum PolicyProvisions to Permit the Use of Digital Radio Broadcasting Installations toProvide Non-Broadcasting Services (SP 1452). As stated in this policy, thefollowing persons are eligible for radio licensing under the RadiocommunicationAct:

  1. Radiocommunication usersor radiocommunication service providers operating Digital Radio Broadcasting(DRB) transmission capacity to provide non-broadcasting services which are notrelated to the broadcasting programming, such as radio paging and alphanumericdata transmission.
  2. Radiocommunication usersor radiocommunication service providers operating FM Subsidiary CommunicationMultiplex Operation (FM/SCMO) transmission capacity to provide non-broadcastingservices which are not related to the broadcasting programming, such as radiopaging and alphanumeric data transmission.

Procedure

In accordance with the Radiocommunication Regulations, radio licences maybe issued to eligible operators in respect of radio apparatus. Pursuant to the RadiocommunicationAct, the radio licence will be issued to the entity that is deemed to beoperating the broadcasting transmitter. Before a radio licence can be issued,the broadcasting operator will need to attest that implementationof non-broadcasting SCMO or DRB applications will not degrade the broadcastsignal. A radio licence will not be issued to a system operator until thebroadcasting certificate has been amended to allow changes to theinstallation(s).

Licenceapplications for non-broadcasting services using DRB and FM/SCMO installationswill be processed in the same manner as other radio licence applications, withthe following particularities:

Environmental Process, Radio FrequencyFields, Land-Use Consultation and Air Navigation Obstruction Marking

If these procedures have already been completed as part of the application processfor a broadcasting certificate, no further action is required.

Electromagnetic Compatibility

ElectromagneticCompatibility Studies (EMC analysis) are not required for non-broadcastingservices using DRB or FM/SCMO installations.

Ownership

The applicant must comply with the Radiocommunication Regulations and the TelecommunicationsAct eligibility requirements with respect to Canadian ownership andcontrol.

Fixed Service

Forthe purposes of radio licensing, point-to-multipoint applications will belicensed as mobile services.

Fees for Land Mobile Service, Electronic News Gathering,Dispatch and Paging

Thefees applicable are those prescribed in sections 63, 64, 66, 67 and 68 of the RadiocommunicationRegulations. These fees are prescribed for each transmit or receivefrequency:

  • for analog applications, aradio frequency will be deemed to correspond to an assigned bandwidth of25 kHz employed for non-broadcasting purposes;
  • for digitally modulatedapplications, a radio frequency will be deemed to correspond to a bit rate of37.5 kilobits per second employed for non-broadcasting purposes.Footnote 1

Appendix 1 provides a few examples of fee calculations for different radiocommunicationservices. It should be noted that the Department will periodically review theradio licence fees and that the fees indicated may be subject to change.

FM Rebroadcasting Stations and DRB Gap Fillers/CoverageExtenders/Single Frequency Network Transmitters

With regard tothe non-broadcasting service only, when such a transmitter works as a Zone Enhancer,as described in CPC-2-1-05, in a way that it does not extend the main servicearea of the non-broadcasting service, the fee for non-cellular/non-PCS ZoneEnhancers will be applied to one frequency only, as defined in CPC-2-1-05. Inall other cases, licence fees will be applied to each frequency, based onservice category, using the above calculation.

Radio Standards Procedure  113(RSP-113)

The ApplicationProcedures for Planned Radio Stations Above 960 MHz in the Fixed Servicedescribed in Radio Standards Procedure 113 (RSP-113) do not apply to systemsusing DRB installations.

International Coordination

Nointernational coordination is required for licensing radiocommunication systemsif the coordination was previously carried out during the broadcastingcertificate issuance process using FM/SCMO or DRB installations.

Licence Conditions

Thefollowing licence condition shall appear on the radio licence for FM/SCMOradiocommunication installations:

"The FM/SCMO radiocommunication installation must meet therequirements of the Broadcasting Procedures and Rules, Part 3 (BPR, Part 3),Application Procedures and Rules for FM Broadcasting Undertakings, andmust be maintained in proper adjustment. All conditions or restrictionsspecified on the Broadcasting Certificate must be complied with. The Departmentmust be notified of any changes to the equipment affecting the FM/SCMO signal."

Thefollowing licence condition shall appear on the radio licence for DRBradiocommunication installations:

"The DRB installation must meet the requirements of the BroadcastingProcedures and Rules, Part 5 (BPR, Part 5), Application Procedures and Rulesfor Digital Radio Broadcasting (DRB) Undertakings and Spectrum UtilizationPolicies SP-1452 (SP-1452), Spectrum Policy Provisions to Permit the Use ofDigital Radio Broadcasting Installations to Provide Non-BroadcastingServices, and must be maintained in proper adjustment. All conditions orrestrictions specified on the Broadcasting Certificate must be complied with.The Department must be notified of any changes to the DRB facilities."

Implementation of the Policy for ExistingSystems

Broadcastingcertificate holders who are currently endorsed to allow the use of theirinstallations to provide non-broadcasting services which are not related to thebroadcasting programming will be informed that, upon expiration of theirbroadcasting certificate, the radiocommunication facility will require a radiolicence as prescribed in the Radiocommunication Regulations.

Appendix 1: Examples of Fee Calculations

Example 1:

A DRBbroadcaster allows a 64 kbit/s bit rate to be used by a radiocommunicationservice provider (paging company) in a high congestion zone. The licencerenewal* fee would be:

  • (64 kbit/s )/(37.5 kbit/s )= 1.70 equivalent 25 kHz channel (rounded off to the highest number ofchannels) = 2 frequencies;
  • using RR Schedule III Part V of the Radiocommunication Regulations: 2 frequencies at $368 perfrequency (renewal fee) = $736.00

Example 2:

An FMbroadcaster allows a radiocommunication user to use its full SCMO bandwidth (46 kHz as per Broadcasting Procedures and Rules, Part 3 (BPR, Part 3), section 3.13) for paging purposes in a non-metropolitan area. The licence renewal* feewould be:

  • 46 kHz requires the equivalent of 2 x 25 kHz channels;
  • using RR Schedule III PartIV of the Radiocommunication Regulations: 2 frequencies at $53 perfrequency (renewal fee) = $106.00

* Itshould be noted that, upon issuance of a radio licence, an issuance fee isapplied.

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