Regulatory Compliance News

Canada Updates Regulatory Standards for 2 GHz Personal Communications Services Equipment

Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) officially updated its certification requirements for Personal Communications Service (PCS) equipment operating in the 1850–1915 MHz and 1930–1995 MHz frequency bands through the release of Radio Standards Specification RSS-133, Issue 7. This technical standard applies to Category I equipment—including base station, fixed station, and subscriber equipment—and establishes mandatory rules for equipment authorization, technical parameters, and unwanted emission evaluations across Canada. The updated issue modernizes Canada's wireless compliance framework to align with current international telecommunications benchmarks, integrating updated technical parameters alongside mandatory general requirements outlined in RSS-Gen and standard radio system plans under SRSP-510.

Key technical modifications introduced under Issue 7 refine transmitter power limits, measurement methodology, and compliance criteria for next-generation mobile network deployment. The revised standard incorporates updated maximum output power requirements across fixed, base, and subscriber equipment, while explicitly defining Total Radiated Power (TRP) measurement rules and unwanted emission limits for Active Antenna System (AAS) equipment. Additionally, the standard mandates average power measurement protocols for transmitter RF output evaluations, limits peak-to-average power ratios, and sets strict frequency stability tolerances to maintain spectrum integrity and minimize adjacent-band interference.

To ensure continuous supply chain operations and accommodate laboratory testing schedules, ISED established a mandatory six-month transition period following the standard's publication. During this transitional window, applicants seeking Canadian equipment certification may submit technical test reports under either the outgoing RSS-133, Issue 6 (with Amendment 1) or the newly published Issue 7. Upon the conclusion of this transition phase, all new applications for Category I equipment certification processed by recognized Certification Bodies or ISED’s Certification and Engineering Bureau must strictly comply with Issue 7. Furthermore, all PCS radio equipment manufactured, imported, distributed, leased, or offered for sale in Canada must adhere fully to the updated specification to secure and maintain market access.