SP 3-30 — Revisions to Spectrum Utilization Policies in the 3-30 GHz Frequency Range and Further Consultation

1.0 Introduction

The purpose of this paper announced in Gazette Notice, DGTP-008-04, is to make revisions to spectrum utilization policies in certain bands in the 3-30 GHz frequency range. Also, a number of new spectrum issues are being raised in this document for public comment.

In January 2002, the Department released a public consultation paper, entitled Consultation on Revisions to the Spectrum Utilization Policies 3-30 GHz Frequency Range (DGTP-001-02). The proposals made in that document were in response to a number of expressions of interest for the introduction of new services and applications in the spectrum above 3 GHz.

The previous consultation applicable to such a broad range of spectrum, services and applications was conducted in August 1997, with the release of a paper entitled Proposals to Provide New Opportunities for the Use of the Radio Spectrum in the 1-20 GHz Frequency Range (DGTP-006-97). Since that time, spectrum utilization in the 1-3 GHz range has been addressed in two documents. Comments received in response to DGTP-006-97 were taken into consideration in the development of a spectrum policy entitled Amendments to the Microwave Spectrum Utilization Policies in the 1-3 GHz Frequency Range which was announced in Notice DGTP-006-99 in October 1999. This utilization policy made accommodation for additional services and new radio applications, and included a transition policy to facilitate the introduction of mobile-satellite services at 2 GHz. A further consultation paper (DGTP-003-00) was used to develop a spectrum policy entitled Revisions to the Spectrum Utilization Policy for Services in the Frequency Range 2285–2483.5 MHz (DGTP-003-01). Spectrum was designated for Wireless Communications Services (WCS) and provisions were made to facilitate the introduction of licence-exempt microwave devices in this utilization policy.

There has been interest expressed for the introduction of new services and applications in bands above 3 GHz. In August 1998, Industry Canada announced a spectrum policy, entitled Spectrum Policy and Licensing Provisions for Fixed Wireless Access Systems in Rural Areas in the Frequency Range 3400–3700 MHz (DGTP-013-98) which represented the first set of amendments to the 1-20 GHz policies in the spectrum above 3 GHz.

In December 1998, Radio Systems Policy 008, Policy Framework for the Provision of Fixed-satellite Services (RP-008) liberalized many aspects of the provision of fixed-satellite service (FSS) communications in Canada. As a consequence of this liberalization and of other related commitments made in the policy framework, Industry Canada has modified the existing authorization procedures for fixed-satellite earth stations and approval of foreign fixed-satellite services. The Department has already approved a number of foreign fixed-satellites for use in Canada with some provisions on frequency bands.

A number of changes are occurring in this spectrum range. For example, the requirement for exclusive bands to support heavy route microwave systems in the 4 and 6 GHz range has greatly diminished with the availability of other transport options such as fibre systems. In the 11 and 14 GHz ranges there is considerable interest in the provision of new broadband access services via geostationary satellites. Similarly, at 18 and 28 GHz, there are plans for multimedia satellite systems to be in operation in the next one-three years. In addition to these requirements, there is a demand for spectrum for new terrestrial wireless access services including licence-exempt products and applications.

As a result of these and other developments, a review of various aspects of the bands between 3 and 30 GHz was warranted. Thirty-seven independent submissions were made in response to the consultation, expressing a range of opinions on each of the proposals made in the document. These comments have been taken into account.

The spectrum utilization policy decisions that address the use of certain bands in the 3-30 GHz frequency range are detailed in this document. Provisions are made which are intended to maximize the economical use of the spectrum while minimizing the impact of one use on another, in accordance with the revised Spectrum Policy Framework.

2.0 Issues Regarding the Use of Fixed-Satellite Services

In the majority of proposals made in the consultation for the bands shared between the fixed service (FS) and the fixed-satellite service, the concept of "soft partitioning" was to be applied in situations where it was desirable to place emphasis on the use of the spectrum by one service over another. In this fashion, access to the spectrum would not be denied, but would be limited to implementations that would not constrain the development of the service for which priority would be given. This was intended to facilitate the implementation of applications or services where the deployment of terminals would occur in a ubiquitous manner, with minimal burden of coordination and the possibility of authorization on a spectrum and geographic area basis. In the comments, there was considerable support for soft partitioning of the spectrum including the element of designating priority to fixed service or fixed-satellite service as appropriate, with limitations not to constrain the development of the service granted priority in the band.

As discussed in the consultation document, Canadian domestic footnote C16A ¹ was intended to apply to bands shared between fixed and fixed-satellite services where no domestic spectrum utilization policies to govern the use of either one or both of the services had been developed. In considering the 3-30 GHz range in the consultation document the process to develop such spectrum utilization policies was initiated. It follows that in the subsequent spectrum policies developed as a result of the consultation it will be necessary to modify the application, nature and content of C16A (as well as other footnotes) to be applied to the various bands in order to clearly enunciate the intended policy provisions.

With respect to texts for footnote C16A, there was objection to the use of 'limited to large antenna earth stations located in areas outside of urban centres' to describe the limitations to be placed on the implementation of FSS earth terminals. Several different proposals were made for replacement text. These will be considered in the discussions of individual band decisions.

Action: Appropriate revisions to footnote C16A will be developed in this paper to reflect the spectrum utilization policy decisions in each of the relevant C, Ku and Ka band sections.

3.0 Decisions on Spectrum Utilization Policies for C Band

The bands between 3700 and 7025 MHz are generally referred to as the C bands; the bands 3700–4200 MHz and 5925–6425 MHz are the conventional C bands; and 4500–4800 MHz and 6725–7025 MHz are the allotment C bands.

3.1 Conventional Paired Bands 3700–4200 MHz and 5925–6425 MHz

3.1.1 Background

The fixed service and fixed-satellite service (space-to-Earth) share the band 3700–4200 MHz on a co-primary basis. The fixed service and fixed-satellite service (Earth-to-space) share the band 5925–6425 MHz on a co-primary basis. Coordination is carried out on a first-come, first-served basis.

Over the past 30 years, the orbital arc from 70°-140°W longitude has been populated by conventional C band satellites to serve markets in the Americas. Canada opened its fixed-satellite services market for international telecommunications in December 1998. Full competition in the services for domestic (Canada-Canada) and Canada-U.S. markets was opened in March 2000. The liberalization of communications satellite services is an important component of the World Trade Organization (WTO) agreement in advancing competition in provision of telecommunications services. With the 1998 changes made to the Telecommunications Act, earth stations operated as telecommunications carrier transmission facilities are exempt from the Canadian ownership and control requirements. Also, under the satellite policy, receive-only earth stations can be licence exempt. Since the opening of the Canadian satellite service market, the Department has included more than 50 foreign satellites on its list of approved FSS satellites.

As discussed in the consultation document, the bands 3700–4200 MHz (Lower 4 GHz ) and 5915–6425 MHz (Lower 6 GHz) were used extensively in the past by the fixed service for high-capacity, point-to-point microwave systems, which formed part of the backbone of the Canadian telecommunications network, handling intercity voice, data and video traffic. The Department had ensured over the years that this spectrum was available for heavy-route long-haul microwave systems by specifying minimum RF channel growth requirements for systems wanting access to the bands. During the last decade, telecommunications companies have developed extensive intercity fibre optic facilities which carry most of the traffic once found on the heavy-route long haul microwave systems. Fibre transmission capacity has surpassed microwave capacity by several orders of magnitude, to the point where microwave systems at 4 and 6 GHz are used for certain inter-provincial cross sections and in cases where difficult terrain or access problems prohibit fibre, or as emergency backup systems. With the introduction of competition, it was anticipated that new entrants would be interested in developing new heavy route microwave network backbones. However, this has not occurred. As a result, a number of microwave systems in these bands have been decommissioned and there has been little growth in either new systems or expansion of existing systems. The requirement for exclusive bands to support heavy route microwave cross sections has greatly diminished.

In the responses to the consultation, views on the number of existing fixed service systems varied. However, as indicated by the incumbent users, there are still significant microwave cross sections in certain areas which are not planned for decommissioning in the foreseeable future. A general comment is that the use of the conventional 4 and 6 GHz bands under the current spectrum utilization policy is diminishing. New heavy route microwave systems are not being implemented, and new systems are constrained by the existing minimum RF channel growth requirement.

The intent of the 2002 consultation on these bands was to consider current use and to explore options to increase the use in the spectrum. For fixed services, removing the growth requirement would permit the introduction of systems which require high-capacity but which would not likely grow to the full heavy route RF channel capacity specified in the current utilization policy. This could become increasingly important for example in the development of microwave backhaul systems supporting Personal Communications Service (PCS) and Advanced Wireless Service (AWS) mobile networks which are forecast to require high-capacity (HC) even on preliminary systems and routes. The proposal for the introduction of low-cpacity (LC) and medium-capacity (MC) across the 4 and 6 GHz bands was also intended to increase flexibility of use and to meet spectrum requirements for low-cpacity systems, since the spectrum for LC below 3 GHz has gradually been replaced by new mobile services and spectrum for LC below 10 GHz is limited. Another aspect is the flexibility of current microwave radio equipment to provide scalable transmission capacities. It has become increasingly easy within new microwave equipment to expand system capacity as networks grow, upgrading from low to medium to high-capacity traffic in an orderly progression. There are obvious advantages in terms of infrastructure to being able to grow within the same spectrum range.

On the other hand, for satellite services in the band, a proposal was received from Telesat Canada to transition the 4 and 6 GHz bands from co-primary fixed service and fixed-satellite service to an exclusive allocation to the satellite service. It was indicated that the exclusive operation by FSS in the C band would improve the economics of satellite services. The request emphasizes the requirement to connect rural and remote communities with medium to high-capacity transport links for Internet service where such access cannot be provided by terrestrial means. This proposal was supported by users and service providers with satellite interests in the band, and opposed by entities with fixed service interests in the band.

There are currently about 30 or so satellites using the conventional C band to serve the North American market. The new family of satellites being planned to populate some of the available orbital positions are expected to have a life span of 15 years or more. While the number of earth stations may increase as a result of satellite-service growth, the Department is not aware of any move toward higher-power satellites or the use of spot beams at C band which would facilitate the entry of earth stations using antennas of less than 1 meter. As well, the combination of low frequency band and 2° satellite orbit spacing (in the US and other markets) is likely to keep earth station antenna sizes relatively large in comparison with services in higher frequency bands (Ku and future Ka bands) targeted to serve business and consumers directly with broadband access and VSAT (Very Small Aperture Terminal) networks. Input to the consultation indicated that interference requirements and orbit spacing of 2 degrees on the arc dictate a minimum antenna diameter of 2.4 meters.

Commenters also indicated that an exclusive allocation for the FSS in the bands would facilitate the introduction of services such as transportable satellite news gathering (SNG) systems for which coordination on an area basis with terrestrial services would be problematic. The Department sought comments on allowing for increased exclusivity for both FS and FSS services, by placing emphasis on fixed and fixed-satellite services in either mutually exclusive geographic areas or for mutually exclusive portions of the frequency band. This proposal was however rejected by both FS and FSS proponents. In the comments, there was not sufficient justification or additional requirements presented that would warrant further consideration of an exclusive allocation of the conventional C band to the FSS service. Also, such a direction would be contrary to the Department's position that spectrum resources should be made available for allocations to several radio services, to maximize spectrum utilization.

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Footnotes

¹ C16A (CAN-00) The use of spectrum for fixed-satellite services in the bands 4500–4800 MHz, 10.7-11.45 GHz and 17.8-19.7 GHz in the space-to-Earth direction and 6725–7025 MHz, 12.75-13.25 GHz, and 28.35-29.5 GHz in the Earth-to-space direction is presently limited to large antenna earth stations located in areas outside of urban centres. Domestic implementation of fixed-satellite services in these bands will be governed by spectrum utilization policies which will be formulated in the future. These policies will consider existing services, ITU Radio Regulations and operating criteria for sharing between services and systems.