The following conditions apply to licences in the Broadband Radio Service (BRS) band 2500-2690 MHz. The Minister of Industry has the power to amend the terms and conditions of spectrum licences (paragraph 5(1)(b) of the Radiocommunication Act). Such power would be exercised only after consultation. Current and future consultations related to the band plan, licence fees and auction frameworks may result in changes to the licence fee and the terms and conditions of BRS licences in order to align with subsequent decisions to be made by the Minister.
1. Licence Term
This licence will expire on the date indicated. The licensee must pay the annual licence fee before March 31 of each year for the subsequent year (April 1 to March 31).
The process for issuing licences after this term and any issues relating to renewal will be determined by the Minister of Industry following a public consultation. In the absence of a fundamental reallocation of this spectrum to a new service or an overriding policy need, and where conditions of licence have been met and the licensee can demonstrate population coverage which is at a minimum consistent with the roll-out targets set out in Annex C of DGSO-001-10, Decisions on the Transition to Broadband Radio Service (BRS) in the Band 2500–2690 MHz and Consultation on Changes Related to the Band Plan, this licence will have a high expectation of renewal.
2. Spectrum Aggregation Limits
The licensee must comply with the spectrum aggregation limit as follows:
A limit of 40 MHz in the 2500 MHz band, excluding the restricted bands at 2570-2575 MHz and 2615-2620 MHz, applies to all licensees, with the exception of the Northwest Territories, Yukon and Nunavut service areas (the North), where there is no limit.
In areas where existing 2500 MHz BRS licensees have spectrum licence holdings in excess of the spectrum aggregation limit in the 2500 MHz band, the licensee is not required to divest any such holdings in order to meet the aggregation limit. However, such a licensee is not eligible to obtain additional licences in licence areas where the aggregation limit has been met or exceeded. Should the licensee divest licences to below the spectrum aggregation limit, the limit would then apply.
The spectrum aggregation limit will continue for five years following the close of the 2500 MHz auction. No transfer of licences or issuance of new licences will be authorized if it would result in a licensee exceeding the spectrum aggregation limit during this period. Any change in ownership or control of a licensee or any other agreement that has the effect of granting a right or interest in a 2500 MHz licence to another licensee in this band may be considered as a licence transfer for the purpose of this condition of licence, whether or not the licensee name is changed as a result. The licensee must request approval by the Minister of Industry for any change that would have a material effect on its compliance with the spectrum aggregation limit. Such a request must be made in advance for any proposed transactions within its knowledge. At any time, at the request of Industry Canada, the licensee will be required to provide updated information demonstrating ongoing compliance with this condition of licence.
3. Licence Transferability, Divisibility and Subordinate Licensing
This licence is transferable in whole or in part (divisibility), in both bandwidth and geographic dimensions, subject to Industry Canada's approval. A subordinate licence may also be issued in regard to this licence, subject to Industry Canada's approval.
The licensee must make the transfer request in writing to Industry Canada. The transfer request will be treated as set out in Client Procedures Circular CPC-2-1-23, Licensing Procedure for Spectrum Licences for Terrestrial Services, as amended from time to time.
The licensee must apply in writing to Industry Canada for approval prior to implementing any deemed transfer, which will be treated as set out in CPC-2-1-23. The implementation of a deemed transfer without the prior approval of Industry Canada will be considered a breach of this condition of licence.
Should the licensee enter into any agreement that provides for a prospective transfer with another holder of a licence for commercial mobile spectrum (including any affiliate, agent or representative of the other licence holder), it must apply in writing to Industry Canada for review of the prospective transfer within 15 days of entering into the agreement, which will be treated as set out in CPC-2-1-23. Should Industry Canada issue a decision indicating that the prospective transfer is not approved, it will be a breach of this condition of licence for a licensee to remain in an agreement that provides for the prospective transfer for a period of more than 90 days from the date of the decision.
In all cases, the licensee must follow the procedures as outlined in CPC-2-1-23.
The terms affiliate; agreement; deemed transfer; licence; prospective transfer; subordinate licence; and transfer request have the meaning ascribed to them in CPC-2-1-23.
Subordinate licences will generally count towards the subordinate licensee's spectrum aggregation limit unless the primary licensee and the subordinate licensee demonstrate to the satisfaction of Industry Canada that they will be separately and actively providing services to customers in the applicable licence area. Where approval for a subordinate licence that would otherwise exceed the spectrum aggregation limit is granted, licensees must implement their plans to the satisfaction of Industry Canada for at least the duration of the aggregation limits that are in place. Any modifications to these plans must be submitted to Industry Canada for approval.
Industry Canada may consider requests from licensees to exchange spectrum blocks in the same geographic area provided that the exchange does not result in the spectrum aggregation limit being exceeded or an increase in spectrum licence holdings for existing licensees that already exceed the aggregation limit. Industry Canada may grant such requests based on the merits of the proposal.
4. Eligibility
The licensee must comply on an ongoing basis with the applicable eligibility criteria of the Radiocommunication Regulations. The licensee must notify the Minister of Industry of any change that would have a material effect on its eligibility. Such notification must be made in advance for any proposed transactions within its knowledge.
5. Treatment of Existing Spectrum Users
The licensee must comply with all displacement and/or transition policies set out in SMSE-005-11, Decisions on the Band Plan for Broadband Radio Service (BRS) and Consultation on a Policy and Technical Framework to License Spectrum in the Band 2500-2690 MHz. In addition, the licensee must not cause harmful interference to the grandfathered stations in Manitoba, as per DGSO-001-10, Decisions on the Transition to Broadband Radio Service (BRS) in the Band 2500-2690 MHz and Consultation on Changes Related to the Band Plan.
6. Radio Station Installations
The licensee must comply with Client Procedures Circular CPC-2-0-03, Radiocommunication and Broadcasting Antenna Systems, as amended from time to time.
7. Provision of Technical Information
When Industry Canada requests technical information on a particular station or network, the information must be provided by the licensee according to the definitions, criteria, frequency, and timelines specified by the Department. For more information, refer to Client Procedures Circular CPC-2-1-23, Licensing Procedure for Spectrum Licences for Terrestrial Services, as amended from time to time.
8. Compliance with Legislation, Regulations and Other Obligations
The licensee is subject to, and must comply with, the Radiocommunication Act, the Radiocommunication Regulations and the International Telecommunication Union's Radio Regulations pertaining to its licensed radio frequency bands. This licence is issued on condition that the certifications made in relation to the licence are all true and complete in every respect. The licensee must use the assigned spectrum in accordance with the Canadian Table of Frequency Allocations and the spectrum policy applicable to this band.
9. Technical Considerations, and International and Domestic Coordination
The licensee must comply on an ongoing basis with the technical aspects of the appropriate Radio Standards Specifications (RSS) and Standard Radio System Plans (SRSP), as amended from time to time. Where applicable, the licensee must use its best efforts to enter into mutually acceptable agreements with other parties for facilitating the reasonable and timely development of their respective systems, and to coordinate with other licensed users in Canada and internationally.
The licensee must comply with the obligations arising from current and future frequency coordination agreements established between Canada and other countries and shall be required to provide information or take actions to implement these obligations as indicated in the applicable SRSP. Although frequency assignments are not subject to site licensing, the licensee may be required through the appropriate SRSP to furnish all necessary technical data for each relevant site.
10. Lawful Intercept
The licensee operating as telecommunication common carrier using the spectrum for voice telephony systems must, from the inception of service, provide for and maintain lawful interception capabilities as authorized by law. The requirements for lawful interception capabilities are provided in the Solicitor General's Enforcement Standards for Lawful Interception of Telecommunications (revised November 1995). These standards may be amended from time to time.
The licensee may request the Minister of Industry to forbear from enforcing certain assistance capability requirements for a limited period of time. The Minister, following consultation with Public Safety Canada, may exercise the power to forbear from enforcing a requirement or requirements where, in the opinion of the Minister, the requirement is not reasonably achievable. Requests for forbearance must include specific details and dates indicating when compliance with the requirement can be expected.
11. Implementation of Spectrum Usage
The Department will take into account implementation in considering eventual renewal of BRS licences.
12. Mandatory Antenna Tower and Site Sharing
A licensee operating as a radiocommunication carrier must comply with the mandatory antenna tower and site sharing requirements set out in Client Procedures Circular CPC-2-0-17, Conditions of Licence for Mandatory Roaming and Antenna Tower and Site Sharing and to Prohibit Exclusive Site Arrangements, as amended from time to time.
13. Learning Plans
The licensee must invest in the specific Learning Plans projects previously committed to, up to and including the 2009 call for applications, as agreed to by the Partnership Committees (made up of members of the learning community and Inukshuk) established in the service areas in accordance with the Learning Plan. Furthermore, cumulative carryovers must be invested as agreed to by the Partnership Committees.
The licensee must invest in the Learning Plans as agreed to by the Partnership Committees (made up of members of the learning community and Inukshuk) established in the service area in accordance with your Learning Plan. The required level of investment must be made for each fiscal year ending on March 31 and in accordance with the amounts indicated below.
For each licence area, the annual Learning Plan contribution must be the greater of:
- $50,000
- twice the annual licence fees
- 4% of the sum of
- annual gross revenues generated by wholesale sales to 3rd parties (other than to Bell and Rogers and their affiliates); plus
- 50% of annual gross revenues generated by retail sales of access services covered by the licence, by Bell, Rogers and their affiliates
14. Annual Reporting
The licensee must submit an annual report for each year of the licence term, including the following information:
- a statement indicating continued compliance with all conditions of licence;
- an update on the implementation and spectrum usage within the area covered by the licence;
- Learning Plan implementation status;
- audited statements of any Learning Plan fund contributions and disbursements;
- existing audited financial statements with an accompanying auditor's report;
- a copy of any existing corporate annual report for the licensee's fiscal year with respect to the authorization.
All reports and statements are to be certified by an officer of the company and submitted, in writing, within 120 days of the licensee's fiscal year end, to the address below. Where a licensee holds multiple licences, the reports should be broken down by service area. Confidential information provided will be treated in accordance with subsection 20(1) of the Access to Information Act.
Industry Canada
Manager, Emerging Networks
Spectrum Management Operations Branch
235 Queen Street (6th floor)
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0H5
Last revision date: November 3, 2016