Regulatory Update for Wireless Microphones

The Innovation, Science and Economic Development (ISED) of Canada address spectrum access and associated licensing mechanisms for wireless microphones operating in the 54-72 MHz, 76-88 MHz, 174-216 MHz, 470-608 MHz, 614-617 MHz, 652-663 MHz, 941.5-952 MHz, 953-960 MHz, 6930-6955 MHz, and 7100-7125 MHz frequency bands.

Here is the summary of the update and the key decision which were made.

New Operations:

  1. Wireless microphones are permitted to operate in the 614-617 MHz band (guard band) and 652-663 MHz band (duplex gap).
  2. Wireless microphones are permitted to operate in the 941.5-952 MHz, 953-960 MHz, 6930-6955 MHz and 7100-7125 MHz bands.
  3. Wireless microphones are permitted to operate in the 614-617 MHz guard band and 652-663 MHz duplex gap on a licence-exempt, no-protection, no-interference basis, subject to technical rules soon to be published in applicable RSS updates.
  4. Wireless microphones are permitted to operate on a voluntarily licensed basis within the upper portion of the duplex gap (657-663 MHz) subject to new technical rules that will be published in applicable RSS updates.

Continued Operations:

  1. Wireless microphones may continue operations in the TV broadcasting bands 54-72 MHz, 76-88 MHz, 174-216 MHz and 470-608 MHz licence-exempt, no-protection, and no-interference.
  2. Wireless microphones may continue to operate on a voluntarily licensed basis across the 54-72 MHz, 76-88 MHz, 174-216 MHz and 470-608 MHz TV broadcasting bands.

License Eligibility:

  1. Only eligible applicants (Broadcasters and other program producers, large venue operators and owners, professional sound companies, and theatre, music, sporting venues, and other similar event organizations that require high-quality audio wireless microphones as part of their productions or events.) may apply for a voluntary licence.
  2. Organizations requiring high-quality audio wireless microphones as part of their productions are eligible for licensing in the frequency bands frequency bands 941.5-952 MHz, 953-960 MHz, 6930-6955 MHz, and 7100-7125 MHz as well as the bands where wireless microphones share with white space devices.

Requirements:

  1. Voluntarily licensed wireless microphone operators must continue to register their operation with a white space database in order to be protected from harmful interference from white space devices.
  2. The operation of wireless microphones in the frequency bands 941.5-952 MHz, 953-960 MHz, 6930-6955 MHz, and 7100-7125 MHz is on a licensed, no-interference, no-protection basis. A radio license is required for the use of wireless microphones in these bands.
  3. With this decision, ISED is lifting the moratorium on applications for voluntary licences by eligible wireless microphone users within the TV broadcasting bands (54-72 MHz, 76-88 MHz, 174-216 MHz, and 470-608 MHz). A moratorium on issuance of voluntary licences for wireless microphones will remain in place for the upper portion of the duplex gap (657-663 MHz) shared with white space devices until final technical rules are established. ISED intends to lift the moratorium on the licensing of wireless microphones in the band 657-663 MHz, once new technical rules are established.

The term "wireless microphones" is used to generically describe low - power devices also permitted under the current regulatory framework, such as communications cue, control systems, and video camera signal synchronization.

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