CPC-2-6-06 — Guidelines for the Submission of Applications to Provide Mobile Satellite Services in Canada

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Issue 4, July 2008
Client Procedures Circular

Preface

Client Procedures Circulars describe the various procedures or processes to be followed by the public when dealing with Industry Canada. 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: DOS

Email: spectrum_pubs@ic.gc.ca

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

Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. Principles
  3. Mandate
  4. Policy
  5. Procedures
  6. Developmental Licences
  7. Mailing Instructions
  8. Related Documents

Annex A — Required Information for a Letter of Intent to Provide a Mobile Satellite Service in Canada

Annex B — Required Information to Describe the Mobile Satellite Service and Subscriber Earth Stations

1. Introduction

This circular deals with the procedure to obtain approval in principle to provide mobile satellite services in Canada.

2. Principles

The radio frequency spectrum is a public resource and Industry Canada is responsible for making spectrum available to specific users in Canada. Mobile satellite services in Canada are available to members of the public through mobile satellite service providers. Mobile satellite service providers will hold all licences and this will enable their subscribers to use the radio spectrum.

3. Mandate

Section 5 of the Radiocommunication Act stipulates that the Minister of Industry may issue radio or spectrum licences and fix the terms and conditions of such licences in order to permit the use of the radio spectrum in Canada.

4. Policy

The licence holder must be an entity that is eligible under section 10.1 of the Radiocommunication Regulations to hold a radio authorization.

Prospective mobile satellite service providers must demonstrate, where applicable, that they meet the assessment criteria and factors contained in the Radio Systems Policy, Policy Framework for the Provision of Mobile Satellite Services via Regional and Global Satellite Systems in the Canadian Market (RP-007).

Spectrum licensing approaches developed for mobile satellite services operating below and above 1 GHz were published in the Canada Gazette, September 20, 1997, Notice No. DGRB-001-97, and September 4, 1999, Notice No. DGRB-009-99, respectively. The key point in the spectrum licensing approach is that service providers hold all the licences that permit the operation of the subscriber earth stations. The spectrum licences authorize the use of specified radio frequencies within a defined geographic area.

5. Procedures

5.1 Application for Approval in Principle

Prospective mobile satellite service providers must submit a letter of intent to Industry Canada using Annex A as a guide. In some cases, the Department may require the submission of additional information in order to complete the evaluation of an application.

If the application is found acceptable, the Department will issue a letter of approval in principle. An approval in principle may be granted subject to certain licence conditions. Licence conditions are derived from elements of government policy applicable to the service provided. Such licence conditions may include that licensees:

  1. must implement their system as outlined in their application;
  2. must invest a minimum of two percent of annual adjusted gross revenues resulting from the provision of mobile satellite services on satellite-related research and development activities averaged over five years after the commencement of service;
  3. must make fair and reasonable efforts to provide mobile satellite services to all regions of Canada within the coverage contour and the service availability;
  4. must file an annual report outlining progress made in implementing the system and providing statistics on the number of different types of subscriber units;
  5. must coordinate, both domestically and internationally, the operation of the earth stations prior to the commencement of commercial operations;
  6. must ensure that subscriber radio equipment is certified in accordance with the applicable standard; and
  7. must ensure that the operation of subscriber earth stations is in accordance with the recommendations for the safe use of radiation emitting devices as determined by Health Canada. These recommendations are provided in Health Canada's publication, Limits of Human Exposure to Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Fields in the Frequency Range from 3 kHz – 300 GHz (Safety Code 6).

5.2 Application for Spectrum Licences

Only mobile satellite service providers that have received an approval in principle in accordance with the above procedure may obtain a spectrum licence. Such spectrum licences are issued subject to the licensee's acceptance of the licence conditions, and permit the provision of mobile satellite services by authorizing the use of spectrum within Canada.

To obtain a spectrum licence, mobile satellite service applicants must agree to the licence conditions and submit the applicable spectrum licence fee. Information on fees for spectrum licences can be found in Canada Gazette Notice No. DGRB-001-97 — Radio Authorization Fees for Mobile Satellite Services Using Radio Spectrum Below 1 GHz and Canada Gazette Notice No. DGRB-009-99 — Radio Authorization Fees for Mobile Satellite Services Using Radio Spectrum Above 1 GHz.

To license feeder link or telemetry, telecommand and control (TT&C) earth stations associated with a mobile satellite system, applicants should refer to Client Procedures Circular, Procedure for the Submission of Applications to License Fixed Earth Stations and to Approve the Use of Foreign Fixed Satellite Service (FSS) Satellites in Canada (CPC-2-6-01).

6. Developmental Licences

Industry Canada will issue developmental radio licences on a case-by-case basis for such purposes as developing terminal equipment or conducting limited service trials. Licence conditions associated with developmental radio licences may include operating on a no-protection, non-interference basis and limiting operations to specific geographical locations. When applying for a developmental licence, only technical information needs to be provided. To this end, applicants should submit the information requested in Annex B as applicable.

7. Mailing Instructions

Enquiries and applications for developmental licences should be addressed to the appropriate regional office of Industry Canada, listed in Radiocommunications Information Circular, Addresses and Telephone Numbers of Regional and District Offices (RIC-66). All other submissions or enquiries concerning applications for the licensing of mobile satellite services should be directed to the following address:

Manager, Space Services — Authorization
Space and International Regulatory Activities
Radiocommunications and Broadcasting Regulatory Branch
Industry Canada
300 Slater Street
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0C8

8. Related Documents

  1. Legislative and Regulatory Circular (LRC), RA, Radiocommunication Act
  2. Legislative and Regulatory Circular (LRC), RR, Radiocommunication Regulations
  3. Radio Systems Policy, Policy Framework for the Provision of Mobile Satellite Services via Regional and Global Satellite Systems in the Canadian Market (RP-007)
  4. Gazette Notice No. DGRB-001-97 — Radio Authorization Fees for Mobile Satellite Services Using Radio Spectrum Below 1 GHz
  5. Gazette Notice No. DGRB-009-99 — Radio Authorization Fees for Mobile Satellite Services Using Radio Spectrum Above 1 GHz
  6. Client Procedures Circular, Procedure for the Submission of Applications to License Fixed Earth Stations and to Approve the Use of Foreign Fixed-satellite Service (FSS) Satellites in Canada (CPC-2-6-01)
  7. Radiocommunications Information Circular, Addresses and Telephone Numbers of Regional and District Offices (RIC-66)
  8. Client Procedures Circular, Radiocommunication and Broadcasting Antenna Systems (CPC-2-0-03)
  9. Radio Standards Procedure, Radio Equipment Certification Procedure (RSP-100)

The above-mentioned documents are available at the following Internet address at http://www.ic.gc.ca/spectrum.

Annexe A — Required Information for a Letter of Intent to Provide a Mobile Satellite Service in Canada


  1. Applicant
    • 1.1 A description of the applicant indicating the primary business of the company, the organizational status of the applicant (whether a person, corporation, or limited partnership, etc.), a contact name, position, postal address, and telephone number.
    • 1.2 The basic incorporation details such as where and when the corporation was incorporated, and whether under the law of Canada or a province.
    • 1.3 A copy of the applicant's certificate of incorporation.
  2. Services
    • 2.1 A detailed description of the proposed mobile satellite services to be provided.
    • 2.2 A five-year schedule providing implementation plans for the service. Service implementation dates and growth of spectrum requirements should be included in this plan. Sufficient information should be provided to validate the schedule.
    • 2.3 A description of the nature of the relationship between the applicant and the users of the mobile radio equipment.
    • 2.4 A description of how the applicant will accommodate the circulation and operation of non-Canadian registered subscriber stations while located in Canada.
  3. Mobile Satellite Service Policy Framework
    • 3.1 A statement addressing how the applicant and the proposed mobile satellite service meet all the criteria noted in the Radio Systems Policy, Policy Framework for the Provision of Mobile Satellite Services via Regional and Global Satellite Systems in the Canadian Market (RP-007).
  4. Service Provider Agreement
    • 4.1 A copy of the agreement between the service provider and the satellite operator for the provision of mobile satellite services within Canada.
  5. System Description
    • 5.1 A description of the proposed mobile satellite system and subscriber earth stations using Annex B as a guide.
  6. Other information
    • 6.1 Any other information which may facilitate the evaluation of the application.

Annex B — Required Information to Describe the Mobile Satellite Service and Subscriber Earth Stations

  1. Information About the Proposed System
    • 1.1 Type of stations: transmit only, transmit-receive, receive only.
    • 1.2 Area of operation of the subscriber earth stations. A description of the coverage area as well as the overall link availability within the coverage area should be provided.
    • 1.3 The type of service to be provided (data, voice, video, facsimile, etc.).
    • 1.4 The proposed space stations with which communications are to be made. The name of the space stations, the orbital parameters, and associated radio frequency bands should be provided.
    • 1.5 A technical description of how communications occur between the subscriber earth stations, the space stations, and any other earth stations that comprise the system.
    • 1.6 The points of origin and destination of traffic within the applicant's overall communication system, including any interconnection of the proposed services with other telecommunications systems.
    • 1.7 An estimate of the initial and final loading, and projected growth of spectrum usage of the system in terms of bandwidth requirements and numbers of subscriber stations over the first five, and if available, ten years. In addition, the capacity of the system in terms of the number of subscriber stations the system can support, both globally and in Canada.
    • 1.8 The name and location of any other existing or planned earth stations with which communication will be carried out. Identify the frequency assignments and space stations associated with these earth stations.
  2. Information Relating to Transmitting Earth Stations
    • 2.1 The number of radio frequency transmit channels in the proposed subscriber earth stations.
    • 2.2 Each carrier frequency of emission, as well as the corresponding class of emission, necessary bandwidth and description of modulation.
    • 2.3 The isotropic or absolute gain (dBi), beamwidth and polarization of the antenna.
    • 2.4 For each carrier, the peak envelope power (dBW) and the maximum power density in dB(W/Hz) supplied to the input of the antenna averaged over the worst 4 kHz band for carriers below 15 GHz, or averaged over the worst 1 MHz band for carriers above 15 GHz.
    • 2.5 The characteristics of the signal modulating the carrier.
    • 2.6 A technical description of how the subscriber earth stations avoid causing interference to other radiocommunication services or systems that operate in the same or adjacent bands of frequencies.
  3. Information Relating to Receiving Earth Stations
    • 3.1 The number of radio frequency receive channels in the subscriber earth stations.
    • 3.2 Each carrier frequency of emission, as well as the corresponding class of emission, necessary bandwidth and description of modulation from the related space stations.
    • 3.3 The isotropic or absolute gain (dBi), beamwidth and polarization of the antenna.
    • 3.4 An indication of whether protection for the receive portion of the earth stations is required. If protection is required, indicate the degree to which the proposed receivers can operate in the presence of existing radio transmitters using the same or adjacent bands of frequencies.
  4. Other Information
    • 4.1 Any other information that may assist Industry Canada in the technical evaluation of the proposal to provide a mobile satellite service in Canada.