Regulatory Compliance News

Key Changes and Regulatory Updates: ISED RSS-Gen Issue 6

The Federal Communications Commission is updating its regulations for the six-gigahertz wireless band to improve indoor Wi-Fi performance and expand high-speed connectivity to passenger vessels without interfering with licensed networks. To tackle signal attenuation caused by physical structures, the commission is enabling automated frequency coordination systems to apply up to a six-decibel credit for building entry loss when managing composite indoor access points. Because exterior walls naturally absorb radio signals, accounting for this drop allows indoor routers to transmit at higher power levels, delivering stronger coverage and faster speeds to home and business users while continuing to protect outdoor microwave links on the same spectrum. The agency is also removing a previous restriction that barred low-power indoor six-gigahertz devices from operating on maritime vessels. Allowing cruise ships to utilize this spectrum meets the heavy data demands of thousands of passengers in dense environments, while the thick steel hulls and heavy metal decking of these ships naturally contain the signals, protecting Earth exploration satellite services and land-based networks from harmful interference.

Alongside these international spectrum developments, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada has introduced Draft 4 of Radio Standards Specification RSS-Gen, Issue 6. This document updates Canada's core compliance requirements for both licensed and licence-exempt radio apparatus, establishing a six-month transition window following its official publication during which manufacturers may submit applications under either Issue 5 or Issue 6. The updated specification adopts modern test site validation standards, extends the required measurement range for unwanted emissions up to seven hundred fifty gigahertz for high-frequency equipment, and introduces clear protocols for evaluating devices that rely on geolocation technologies such as GPS or Galileo. Additionally, RSS-Gen Issue 6 modernizes product identification rules by permitting quick-response codes, establishing streamlined labelling criteria for small devices under two and a half centimeters, and refining the requirements for electronic display labels and host equipment module integration.