The following conditions will apply to licences in the 600 MHz band, as defined in the Technical, Policy and Licensing Framework for Spectrum in the 600 MHZ Band.
This licence is subordinate to the primary licence, and as such is conditional on the primary licence remaining in effect. This licence would normally be subject to any non-renewal, suspension, or revocation of the primary licence. However, in the event of suspension, non-renewal or revocation of the primary licence, the subordinate licensee could make representations to the Minister, consistent with the Radiocommunication Act, as to why they should be permitted to continue operating.
1. Licence term
The term of this licence is 20 years. At the end of this term, the licensee will have a high expectation that a new licence will be issued for a subsequent term through a renewal process, unless a breach of licence condition has occurred, a fundamental reallocation of spectrum to a new service is required, or an overriding policy need arises.
The process for issuing licences after this term and any issues relating to renewal, including the terms and conditions of the new licence, will be determined by the Minister following a public consultation.
2. Eligibility
The licensee must comply on an ongoing basis with the applicable eligibility criteria in subsection 9(1) of the Radiocommunication Regulations and, where applicable, with the eligibility criteria for set-aside licences as defined under the Technical, Policy and Licensing Framework for Spectrum in the 600 MHZ Band (the Framework).The licensee must notify the Minister 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.
3. Licence transferability, divisibility and subordinate licensing
This licence is not transferable or divisible.
4. 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.
Provision of technical information: The licensee must provide, and maintain, up-to-date technical information on a particular station or network in accordance with the definitions, criteria, frequency and timelines specified in Client Procedures Circular CPC-2-1-23, Licensing Procedure for Spectrum Licences for Terrestrial Services, as amended from time to time.
Compliance with legislation, regulation and other obligations: The licensee is subject to, and must comply with, the Radiocommunication Act and the Radiocommunication Regulations, as amended from time to time. The licensee must use the assigned spectrum in accordance with the Canadian Table of Frequency Allocations and the spectrum policies applicable to this band, as amended from time to time. The licence is issued on condition that all representations made in relation to obtaining this licence are all true and complete in every respect.
5. 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.
6. Lawful interception
The licensee operating as a 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 (Rev. Nov. 95). These standards may be amended from time to time.
The licensee may request the Minister 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.
7. Research and development
The licensee must invest, as a minimum, 2% of its adjusted gross revenues resulting from the use of this licence, averaged over the term of the licence, in eligible research and development (R&D) activities related to telecommunications. Eligible R&D activities are those which meet the definition of scientific research and experimental development adopted in the Income Tax Act, as amended from time to time. Adjusted gross revenues are defined as total service revenues less inter-carrier payments, bad debts, third party commissions, and provincial goods and services taxes collected. The licensee is exempt from R&D expenditure requirements if it, together with all affiliated licensees that are subject to the R&D condition of licence, has less than $1 billion in annual gross operating revenues from the provision of wireless services in Canada, averaged over the term of the licence. For this condition of licence, an affiliate is defined as a person who controls the carrier, or who is controlled by the carrier or by any person who controls the carrier, as per subsection 35(3) of the Telecommunications Act.
8. Deployment requirements
Licensees will be required to demonstrate to the Minister that this spectrum has been put to use to provide services as specified in table A1 of SLPB-002-18, Technical, Policy and Licensing Framework for Spectrum in the 600 MHz Band within 5 years of the initial issuance of the licence, as specified in table A2 of SLPB-002-18, Technical, Policy and Licensing Framework for Spectrum in the 600 MHz Band within 10 years of the initial issuance of the licence, and as specified in table A3 of SLPB-002-18, Technical, Policy and Licensing Framework for Spectrum in the 600 MHz Band within 20 years of the initial issuance of the licence.
The Department will review licensees' compliance with their deployment conditions at years 5, 10 and 20. Where, at any point in the licence term, the licensee is not in compliance with its deployment conditions, the Department may invoke various compliance and enforcement measures.
These measures may include warnings, administrative monetary penalties, legal action, licence amendments, suspensions, or other measures. In certain cases of non-compliance, the Department may determine that the most appropriate course of action is to revoke the licence.
Where a licence is transferred, the requirement for the new licensee to deploy will continue to be based on the initial licence issuance date.
9. Mandatory antenna tower and site sharing
The licensee 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.
10. Mandatory roaming
The licensee must comply with the roaming requirements set out in CPC-2-0-17, as amended from time to time.
11. Annual reporting
The licensee must submit an annual report for each year of the licence term, which includes 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
- existing audited financial statements with an accompanying auditor's report
- a statement indicating the annual gross operating revenues from the provision of wireless services in Canada and, where applicable, the annual adjusted gross revenues resulting from the use of this licence, as defined in these conditions of licence
- a report of the R&D expenditures as set out in these conditions of licence (ISED may request, at its discretion, an audited statement of R&D expenditures with an accompanying auditor's report)
- supporting financial statements where a licensee is claiming an exemption based on, together with all affiliated licensees that are subject to the R&D condition of licence, it having less than $1 billion in annual gross operating revenues from the provision of wireless services in Canada, averaged over the term of the licence
- a copy of any existing corporate annual report for the licensee's fiscal year with respect to the authorization and
- other information related to the licence as specified in any notice updating the reporting requirements as issued by ISED
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. Confidential information provided will be treated in accordance with subsection 20(1) of the Access to Information Act.
Reports are to be submitted to ISED at the following address:
Innovation, Science and Economic Development
Spectrum Management Operations Branch
Manager, Operational Policy
235 Queen Street
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0H5
Where a licensee holds multiple licences, spectrum implementation reports should be broken down by service area. This information, including the extent of implementation and spectrum usage, is important for analyzing each licensee's individual performance against its conditions of licence. In addition, it allows ISED to monitor the effectiveness of these conditions in meeting the policy objectives regarding the band and the Department's intent that the spectrum be deployed in a timely manner for the benefit of Canadians.
12. Amendments
The Minister retains the discretion to amend these terms and conditions of licence at any time.