Interim Sharing Arrangement between the Canadian Department of Industry, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, and the Federal Communications Commission - Band 220 to 222 MHz

Interim Sharing Arrangement between the Canadian Department of Industry, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, and the Federal Communications Commission Concerning the Use of the Band 220 to 222 MHz along the United States-Canada Border

Note: All persons making use of this consolidation are reminded that thedocuments included herein are provided only for convenience of reference. This consolidation is for the guidance of those engaged in radiocommunications in Canada. The information contained in this document is subject to change without notice. While every reasonable effort has been made to ensure accuracy, no warranty is expressed or implied. For more details, please contact the Spectrum Engineering Branch.

Prepared by:

Industry Canada
Radiocommunications and
Broadcasting Regulatory Branch
235 Queen Street
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0H5

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

All spectrum publications are available on the Internet at:: http://www.ic.gc.ca/spectrum

Table of Contents

• Confirmation of Acceptance
• Annex A — Table 1
• Annex A — Table 2
• Annex A — Table 3
• Annex B

Confirmation of Acceptance

The attached document is the interim sharing arrangement between the Federal Communications Commission, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and the Department of Industry (Industry Canada) concerning use of the 220 to 222 MHz frequency band. The Federal Communications Commission, NTIA and Industry Canada intend to implement the attached arrangement, to the extent permissible under their respective domestic laws, pending the amendment of the Agreement Concerning the Coordination and Use of Radio Frequencies Above Thirty Megacycles per Second, with Annex, as amended^{Footnote 1}, to incorporate the arrangement's terms.

Donald Abelson
Chief, International Bureau
Federal Communications
Commission

Date: December 8, 1999

William T. Hatch
Acting Associate Administrator
Spectrum Management
National Telecommunications
and Information Administration

Date: December 13, 1999

Michael Binder
Assistant Deputy Minister
Spectrum, Information
Technologies &
Telecommunications
Industry Canada

Date: December 21, 1999

1. Scope

1.1 This interim arrangement (Arrangement) between the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) of the United States of America (United States), on the one hand, and the Canadian Department of Industry (Industry Canada), on the other hand, herein referred to as the Agencies, covers the coordination and use of the frequency band 220 to 222 MHz in the vicinity of the United States-Canada border.

The coordinating agency for the United States is the FCC while the coordinating agency for Canada is Industry Canada.

1.2 This Arrangement is subject to review at any time at the request of either Administration.

1.3 Within 120 km of the United States-Canada border the frequencies shall be used as specified in Sections 2, 3 and 4.

1.4 Notwithstanding any other provision of this Arrangement, beyond 120 km from the United States-Canada border each country shall have full use of the 220–222 MHz band.

2. General Sharing Arrangements

2.1 Except as indicated below in Section 3, the frequency band covered by this Arrangement is to be shared along the border as indicated in Annex A, Table 1.

2.2 In addition to the channeling allotments set forth in Annex A, both Administrations agree that, to the extent possible, the following channels will be available for implementation of the following services:

2.3 Power and Antenna Height Limits

The Agencies may use their allotted portions of spectrum subject to the Effective Radiated Power (ERP) and Height Above Average Terrain (HAAT) limits indicated in Annex B.

2.4 Two-Frequency Channeling Arrangements

The Agencies will use the spectrum on the basis of a two-frequency band-channeling plan. For land mobile operations, the base station transmitters will normally operate in the 220–221 MHz band and the mobile station transmitters will normally operate in the 221–222 MHz band. A mobile station may also transmit on any frequency assigned to its associated base station, provided that power limits for such transmissions are maintained in accordance with Annex B.

2.5 Distribution/Allotment of Frequencies

In the areas not encompassed by the Sectors described in Section 3, the United States will have unrestricted geographic use of the channels: 21 to 24, 27 to 55, 86 to 120, 146 to 154, 157 to 160, 171 to 174, and 186 to 189; Canada will have unrestricted geographic use of the channels: 1 to 20, 25, 26, 56 to 85, 121 to 145, 155, 156, 175 to 180, and 190 to 195; and the channels 161 to 170, 181 to 185, and 196 to 200 will be available for use by either Administration. Furthermore, channels 111, 113, 115, 117 and 119 will be available for Canada if used for Intelligent Transportation Systems/Intelligent Vehicle Highway Systems (ITS/IVHS). See Annex A, Table 1.

3. Special Sharing Arrangements

3.1 In recognition of particular demographic circumstances, the allotment of channels between Canada and the United States in the two sectors is as follows:

1. Sector 1

   Sector 1 is defined as the area within 120 km of the border bounded on the west by 85 degrees West longitude and on the east in Canada by 81 degrees West longitude and in the United States by 80 degrees 30 minutes West longitude.

   In this sector, the United States will have unrestricted geographic use of the channels: 1 to 120, 141 to 160, 171 to 178, and 186 to 192; Canada will have unrestricted geographic use of the channels: 121 to 140, 179, 180, and 193 to 195; and the channels 161 to 170, 181 to 185, and 196 to 200 will be available for use by either Administration. Furthermore, channels 111, 113, 115, 117 and 119 will be available for Canada if used for ITS/IVHS. See Annex A, Table 2.

2. Sector 2

   Sector 2 is defined as the area within 120 km of the border bounded on the west in Canada by 81 degrees West longitude and in the United States by 80 degrees 30 minutes West longitude and on the east by 71 degrees West longitude.

   In this sector, the United States will have unrestricted geographic use of the channels:

   21 to 23, 28 to 30, 51 to 53, 88 to 120, 148 to 153, 158 to 160, 171, 172, and 186 to 188; Canada will have unrestricted geographic use of the channels: 1 to 20, 24 to 27, 31 to 50, 54 to 87, 121 to 147, 154 to 157, 173 to 180, and 189 to 195; and the channels 161 to 170, 181 to 185, and 196 to 200 will be available for use by either Administration. Furthermore, channels 111, 113, 115, 117 and 119 will be available for Canada if used for ITS/IVHS. See Annex A, Table 3.

   3.2 The following are low power channels and shall be available for each Administration's use on an unprotected basis. Operation on the lower frequencies of these channels is limited to a maximum ERP of 2 watts and a maximum antenna height of 6.1 meters above average terrain.

4. Use of Frequencies Allotted to One Administration by the Other Administration

Frequencies primarily allotted for unrestricted use by one Administration may be assigned by the other Administration within 120 km of the border in its country under the following conditions:

1. The maximum power flux density (pfd) at any point at or beyond the border shall not exceed — 108 dBW/m²;
2. Stations operating under this provision shall be considered as secondary and shall neither be granted protection against harmful interference from stations that have primary use of their authorized frequency, nor shall they cause harmful interference to stations having primary use of their authorized frequency, regardless of whether they meet the pfd value specified in 4(a) above;
3. The documentation issued by each Agency authorizing such stations to use these frequencies will include a clause stating that such authorization is subject to the following conditions:
   1. in the event that the actual signals at or beyond the border are found to exceed the value specified in 4(a) above, the signal level should be reduced accordingly;
   2. in the event that the actual signals are found to cause harmful interference to stations that have primary use of their authorized frequency, regardless of signal strength, the licensee shall take immediate action to eliminate such interference. The Agency granting the authorization for secondary use is responsible for ensuring that remedial action is taken, up to and including revocation of the authorization.