[wirelesstoronto-discuss] WHITE SPACE = PUBLIC DOMAIN IN CANADA

[Dean]

At 12:30 PM 06/11/2008, jason wrote:
>There was an announcement this morning on the radio that the CRTC has deemed
>the white space (wavelengths/spectrums between TV channels that you used to
>see when you changes channels using knobs) as public domain -- very
>interesting!

There is (as of right now) no such announcement on the CRTC or 
Industry Canada websites. What radio station did you hear this on? 
Unfortunately it would appear that the information you heard was 
either incorrect or misunderstood.

First it needs to be understood that the "white spaces" you are 
referring to are actually radio frequencies, and fall within what is 
called the radio frequency spectrum or more accurately the 
electromagnetic spectrum. In Canada it covers all frequencies between 
9 kHz and 275 GHz, which includes everything that operates by way of 
transmitting a signal, i.e. shortwave radio, television, remote 
control toys, cell phones, etc.

Next it needs to be understood that the CRTC's authority is simply to 
regulate and supervise the Canadian broadcasting system and 
telecommunications carriers, as per the Broadcasting Act (1991), the 
Telecommunications Act (1993) and the Bell Canada Act (1987). In 
simpler terms, the CRTC's job is to insure that the rules are 
followed, and that the public broadcasters in Canada abide by them.

The most important thing though is that the CRTC has no authority or 
control over frequencies. That authority falls on Industry Canada's 
Spectrum Management and Telecommunications Sector who have full 
control over all frequency use and licences within Canadian 
boundaries. When a company wishes to start up a radio or TV station 
they must apply to both Industry Canada (IC) and the CRTC. If they 
meet all the requirements, IC will issue them a licence and assign 
them a frequency to operate on. The CRTC then will decide whether or 
not to grant them a broadcaster's license. If the IC chooses to not 
issue a license and assign a frequency, the CRTC has zero authority 
to overturn that decision, as they have zero control over the frequencies.

So was the information you heard wrong or misunderstood. Probably 
both. Every so often the government bodies from around the world who 
administer the frequencies in their contries get together for World 
Radio Conferences, which are convened by the International 
Telecommunication Union. Canada's frequency band plan is uniquely (to 
a degree anyway) Canadian, but it is based on provisions set during 
these conferences.

Up until last year the official band plan for Canada listed TV 
Channels 2-6 operating from 54 to 88 MHz, channels 7 - 13 at 174 - 
220 MHz, and channels 14 - 69 at 470 - 806 MHz. Can this change? Yes, 
in fact the band plan that went into effect last year shows a change 
to that by removing the last ten channels, it only shows TV channels 
going up to channel 59. Additionally starting last year and into the 
beginning of this year there where discussion about reassigning 763 - 
806 MHz to public safety. This represents TV channels 63 - 69 and 
effects 18 TV stations across Canada including two here in Toronto. 
Is there a precedent for this? You bet. Those of us who are a bit on 
the older side may recall that CityTV use to be Channel 79. What 
happened was that all the TV frequencies over 806 MHz were 
reassigned, primary because of Cell Phones, but also to public safety 
and commercial trunk radio systems that share the 800 Mhz band. As a 
result of this CityTV had to move to a TV frequency below 806, which 
meant moving from channel 79 to it's current 57.

It's likely that it was some sort of change like this that was being 
referred to in what you heard, and was perhaps misunderstood, or 
simply miss-communicated by a script writer at the station.


It is worth noting at this point, that it has ALWAYS generally been 
considered by the Canadian government that radio frequency spectrum 
is in the public domain. And more specifically a publicly own asset 
administered and protected by the federal government on behalf of all 
Canadian citizens. It is this thinking that has actually protected us 
from laws and regulations that have been instituted by other 
governments including the USA and UK.


Dean