WASHINGTON-The United States and Canada reached an agreement effective June 20 that allows for public safety to use TV channels 63, 64, 68 and 69 (764-776 MHz and 794-806 MHz) along the U.S.-Canadian border.
“The agreement sets forth the principles and mechanisms for spectrum sharing by public-safety licensees operating in the 700 MHz band near the U.S.-Canada border,” said the Federal Communications Commission. “This additional spectrum will allow public-safety licensees along the border to develop robust and highly reliable public-safety systems.”
The 700 MHz band is being transitioned from TV to public safety and commercial use. But for public safety to be able to use the bands along the border, an amendment to the 1962 U.S.-Canada agreement was necessary.
The agreement specifies which narrowband and wideband frequencies are primary for the United States and which are primary for Canada, and contains restrictions to protect each country’s TV stations. It was signed by the Embassy of Canada and the U.S. State Department.
The commercial spectrum that will be made available through the transition to digital TV will be auctioned. When the FCC auctions this spectrum, it should make sure that it sets aside spectrum for new entrants, said FCC Commissioner Jonathan Adelstein at the June 20 SDR Forum. “We do want new active competition,” said Adelstein.
In 1997, Congress dictated that 24 megahertz of spectrum be given to public safety and 36 megahertz be auctioned to commercial services. The FCC already has auctioned 6 megahertz of the 36 megahertz for guard-band spectrum. One of the major winners of the spectrum, Nextel Communications Inc., recently agreed to return the guard-band spectrum to the commission as part of the FCC’s plan to solve public-safety interference in the 800 MHz band. It also has auctioned some of the 30 megahertz to rural providers, and another lower 700 MHz band rural license auction is scheduled for this summer. There is another 48 megahertz of spectrum, but no official decision has been made as to how this spectrum should be used.
