Consultation on Repurposing the 600 MHz Band of Spectrum

Feb 18, 2015

By Steven James May

Canadian citizens own the airwaves. As such, Industry Canada has given citizens until February 26, 2015 to submit comments with respect to how Canada might repurpose a valuable portion of the airwaves (also known as spectrum). Industry Canada is aiming to take portions of your 600 MHz band of spectrum, currently used for over-the-air (OTA) TV and other services, and use it instead for cell phone and wireless high-speed Internet services (called "mobile bandband").

Back in 2011, portions of your 700 MHz spectrum were moved from OTA TV in the hopes that companies like Bell and Rogers would use it for cell phone and wireless Internet services. While some Canadians lost their "rabbit ears TV" as a result of the 700 MHz transition, the hope was that they would gain cell phone and wireless Internet services in return. As of 2015, such services using the 700 MHz band of spectrum have been slow to emerge in Frontenac County and Lennox & Addington County.

Having already repurposed the 700 MHz band of spectrum, Industry Canada would now like to do the same for the 600 MHz band of spectrum. Sample questions from the full 600 MHz consultation (available online at www.ic.gc.ca) follow below:

"Question 1: Industry Canada is seeking comments on the overall proposal of repurposing the band to include commercial mobile broadband and the initial step of participating in a joint repacking process with the United States."

"Question 2: Industry Canada is seeking comments on the future spectrum requirements for OTA TV broadcasting, taking into consideration the overall changes to the broadcasting industry, and noting that the CRTC Let’s Talk TV hearing recently closed."

Your comments are to be e-mailed in Microsoft Word or Adobe PDF format to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or mailed to Senior Director, Spectrum Licensing and Auction Operations, Industry Canada, 235 Queen Street, Ottawa, ON K1A 0H5 by the February 26, 2015 deadline.