Page History

RADIO FREQUENCY BANDS (MHZ)

INTENDED USAGE

COMMENTS

Radio Frequency Bands (MHz)

Intended Usage

512 - 608,

614 - 698

Previously for

• For Remote Rural


• Broadband Systems


• (RRBS)
.¹¹⁴
Recently, the 600 MHz
band has been repurposed
for commercial mobile use
and digital TV.¹¹⁵
• ⁹⁶.

• RRBS service providers can
continue to

• operate on a secondary basis (i.e.


• no-interference, no-protection)
for 2 years
following the decision to repurpose the 600
MHz band, after which the transition plan
will be finalized.There are 24 RRBS stations in Alberta that
will be impacted by the repurposing of this
spectrum.¹¹⁶
• , with broadcasters getting priority.
• The frequency range 614-698 MHz was permanently removed from this category in 2019, and was reallocated for mobile broadband services⁹⁷.

614-698 MHz

• For Mobile Broadband Services. Was formerly for RBBS and over the air television

• These spectrum licenses were auctioned off in 2019.
• In Alberta, blocks are owned by Rogers, TELUS, and Freedom (now Shaw)⁹⁸.

763 - 768,

793 - 798

• Public Safety Broadband


• Block (PSBB).
• For public safety broadband


• use.

• The 700 MHz band was formerly used for


• over-the-air television⁹⁹.
¹¹⁷
• This frequency band is
favored
• favoured for delivering


• next-generation wireless services, as it


• carries well over long distances and is able


• to penetrate structures
well.¹¹⁸

Remaining 700 Mhz band

• For mobile broadband service
  (MBS).

• These spectrum licenses were auctioned off
  in 2014.

• In Alberta, blocks are owned by Rogers,
  Telus, Vidéotron, and Bell.¹¹⁹

• In each license area, companies that have
  access to two or more blocks of 700 MHz
  — either through auction or spectrum sharing
  — are required to deploy services to 90% of
  their existing broadband mobile coverage
  area within five years, and 97% within seven
  years of the auction.

• In Alberta, this applies to Telus and Rogers
  by 2021.

• ¹⁰⁰.

2500 - 2690

• For broadband radio services


• (BRS).

• These spectrum licenses were auctioned off


• in 2015.
• In Alberta, blocks are owned by
Telus
• TELUS, Bell,


• Rogers,
and
• Corridor Communications Inc.,


• Videotron, and Bragg Communications¹⁰¹.
¹²⁰
• This spectrum is best suited for expanding


• the capacity of mobile systems in urban


• areas.
• Not ideally suited for mobile systems


• covering expansive rural and remote areas.
 

902 - 928, 

2400 -2483.5,

5150 - 5350,

5470 - 5600,

5650 - 5850,

24050 - 24250

• For wireless broadband services


• (no spectrum license required).

• License exempt spectrum¹⁰².
¹²¹ 
• Devices must adhere to specific Radio


• Standard Specifications.
• Services operate under a secondary


• allocation basis (i.e. no protection and


• no-interference
).

3650 - 3700

For wireless broadband services
(spectrum license required
• ).

• Licensing is shared wherein all licensees have
  equal access to the spectrum.¹²²
  

• Currently no annual spectrum licence fees.

3475 - 3650

• For fixed wireless access


• (spectrum license required).

• Spectrum in some Tier 4 localized service


• areas has been made available for licensing.
• Annual spectrum licence fees apply¹⁰³.
¹²³
• Devices must adhere to specific Radio


• Standard Specifications
.^{124, 125}
• ^104,105.

3500¹⁰⁶

• 200 MHz of spectrum available for “flexible use” such as mobile 5G or fixed wireless.

• To be auctioned off in June 2021.
• There will be 50 MHz “set aside” spectrum in markets where enough spectrum is available for smaller and regional competitors.

3650 - 3700

• For wireless broadband services (spectrum license required).

• Licensing is shared wherein all licensees have equal access to the spectrum¹⁰⁷.
• Currently no annual spectrum licence fees.

4940 - 4990

• For fixed and mobile services in


• support of public safety.

• The primary uses of this band are designated


• for broadband mobile services for public safety,


• and fixed systems that support these broadband


• mobile systems¹⁰⁸.
¹²⁶

• Additional spectrum in the 8 GHz range for public safety is being planned for auction in the ISED Spectrum Outlook 2018 to 2022.