P3 — AWS-1 Spectrum Licences issued via the 2018 Renewal Process

The following conditions will apply to AWS-1 spectrum licences renewed through SLPB-001-18, Spectrum Licence Renewal Process for Advanced Wireless Services (AWS-1) and Other Spectrum in the 2 GHz Range. These conditions of licence align with the decisions taken in other processes and the proposals within the Consultation.

It should be noted that the licences are subject to the relevant provisions in the Radiocommunication Act and the Radiocommunication Regulations, as amended from time to time. For example, the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development continues to have the power to amend the terms and conditions of spectrum licences (paragraph 5(1)(b) of the Radiocommunication Act). The Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development may do so for reasons including furtherance of the policy objectives set out in section 7 of the Telecommunications Act and the policy objectives related to this band. Such action would normally only be undertaken after consultation.

1. Licence term

The term of this licence is 20 years. At the end of this licence term, the licensee will have a high expectation that a new licence will be issued for a subsequent term through a renewal process unless a breach of licence condition has occurred, a fundamental reallocation of spectrum to a new service is required, or an overriding policy need arises.

The process for issuing licences after this term and any issues relating to renewal, including the terms and conditions of the new licence, will be determined by the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development following a public consultation.

2. Eligibility

The licensee must comply on an ongoing basis with the applicable eligibility criteria in subsection 9(1) of the Radiocommunication Regulations. The licensee must notify the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development of any change that would have a material effect on its eligibility. Such notification must be made in advance of any proposed transactions known to the licensee.

3. Licence transferability, divisibility and subordinate licensing

This licence is transferable in whole or in part (divisibility), in both bandwidth and geographic dimensions, subject to Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada’s (ISED) approval. A subordinate licence may also be issued in regard to this licence. ISED’s approval is required for each proposed subordinate licence.

The licensee must make the Transfer Request in writing to ISED. The Transfer Request will be treated as set out in Client Procedures Circular CPC-2-1-23, Licensing Procedure for Spectrum Licences for Terrestrial Services, as amended from time to time.

The licensee must apply in writing to ISED for approval prior to implementing any Deemed Transfer, which will be treated as set out in CPC-2-1-23. The implementation of a Deemed Transfer without ISED’s prior approval will be considered a breach of this condition of licence.

Should the licensee enter into any agreement that provides for a Prospective Transfer with another holder of a Licence for commercial mobile spectrum (including any Affiliate, agent or representative of the other licence holder), it must apply in writing to ISED for review of the Prospective Transfer within 15 days of entering into the Agreement, which will be treated as set out in CPC-2-1-23. Should ISED issue a decision indicating that the Prospective Transfer is not approved; it will be a breach of this condition of licence for a licensee to remain in an agreement that provides for the Prospective Transfer for a period of more than 90 days from the date of the decision.

In all cases, the licensee must follow the procedures as outlined in CPC-2-1-23.All capitalized terms have the meaning ascribed to them in CPC-2-1-23.

4. Radio station installations

The licensee must comply with Client Procedures Circular CPC-2-0-03, Radiocommunication and Broadcasting Antenna Systems, as amended from time to time.

5. Provision of technical information

The licensee must provide, and maintain, up-to-date technical information on a particular station or network in accordance with the definitions, criteria, frequency and timelines specified in CPC-2-1-23, Licensing Procedure for Spectrum Licences for Terrestrial Services, as amended from time to time.

6. Compliance with legislation, regulations and other obligations

The licensee is subject to, and must comply with, the Radiocommunication Act and the Radiocommunication Regulations, as amended from time to time. The licensee must use the assigned spectrum in accordance with the Canadian Table of Frequency Allocations and the spectrum policies applicable to this band, as amended from time to time. The licence is issued on condition that all representations made in relation to obtaining this licence are all true and complete in every respect.

7. Technical considerations and international and domestic coordination

The licensee must comply on an ongoing basis with the technical aspects of the appropriate Radio standards specifications (RSS) and Standard radio system plans (SRSP), as amended from time to time. Where applicable, the licensee must use its best efforts to enter into mutually acceptable agreements with other parties for facilitating the reasonable and timely development of their respective systems, and to coordinate with other licensed users in Canada and internationally.The licensee must comply with the obligations arising from current and future frequency coordination agreements established between Canada and other countries and shall be required to provide information or take actions to implement these obligations as indicated in the applicable SRSP. Although frequency assignments are not subject to site licensing, the licensee may be required through the appropriate SRSP to furnish all necessary technical data for each relevant site.

8. Lawful interception

The licensee operating as a telecommunication common carrier using the spectrum for voice telephony systems must, from the inception of service, provide for and maintain lawful interception capabilities as authorized by law. The requirements for lawful interception capabilities are provided in the Solicitor General’s Enforcement Standards for Lawful Interception of Telecommunications (Rev. Nov. 95) – SGES. These standards may be amended from time to time.

The licensee may request the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development to forbear from enforcing certain assistance capability requirements for a limited period of time. The Minister, following consultation with Public Safety Canada, may exercise the power to forbear from enforcing a requirement or requirements where, in the opinion of the Minister, the requirement is not reasonably achievable. Requests for forbearance must include specific details and dates indicating when compliance to the requirement can be expected.

9. Research and development

The licensee must invest, as a minimum, 2% of its adjusted gross revenues resulting from the use of this licence, averaged over the term of the licence, in eligible research and development (R&D) activities related to telecommunications. Eligible R&D activities are those that meet the definition of scientific research and experimental development adopted in the Income Tax Act, as amended from time to time. Adjusted gross revenues are defined as total service revenues, less inter-carrier payments, bad debts, third party commissions, and provincial goods and services taxes collected. The licensee is exempt from R&D expenditure requirements if it, together with all affiliated licensees that are subject to the R&D condition of licence, has less than $1 billion in annual gross operating revenues from the provision of wireless services in Canada, averaged over the term of the licence. For this condition of licence, an affiliate is defined as a person who controls the carrier, or who is controlled by the carrier or by any person who controls the carrier, as per subsection 35(3) of the Telecommunications Act.

10. Deployment requirement

Licensees will be required to demonstrate to the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development that this spectrum has been put to use as specified in section 9 and annex B and annex C of SLPB-001-18, Spectrum Licence Renewal Process for Advanced Wireless Services (AWS-1) and Other Spectrum in the 2 GHz Range, within eight years (as specified in annex B, Tier 3) and within 20 years (as specified in annex C, Tier 4) of the issuance of the new licence.

Where a licence is transferred, the time limits for deployment will continue to be counted for the transferred licence from the date the original licence was issued.

11. Mandatory antenna tower and site sharing

The licensee must comply with the mandatory antenna tower and site sharing requirements set out in Client Procedures Circular CPC-2-0-17, Conditions of Licence for Mandatory Roaming and Antenna Tower and Site Sharing and to Prohibit Exclusive Site Arrangements, as amended from time to time.

12. Mandatory roaming

The licensee must comply with the roaming requirements set out in CPC-2-0-17, as amended from time to time.

13. Annual reporting

The licensee must submit an annual report for each year of the licence term, which includes the following information:

  • a statement indicating continued compliance with all conditions of licence;
  • an update on the implementation and spectrum usage within the area covered by the licence;
  • existing audited financial statements with an accompanying auditor’s report;
  • a statement indicating the annual gross operating revenues from the provision of wireless services in Canada and, where applicable, the annual adjusted gross revenues resulting from the use of this licence, as defined in these conditions of licence;
  • a report of the R&D expenditures as set out in these conditions of licence (ISED may request an audited statement of R&D expenditures with an accompanying auditor’s report, at its discretion);
  • supporting financial statements where a licensee is claiming an exemption based on—together with all affiliated licensees that are subject to the R&D condition of licence—it having less than $1 billion in annual gross operating revenues from the provision of wireless services in Canada, averaged over the term of the licence;
  • a copy of any existing corporate annual report for the licensee’s fiscal year with respect to the authorization; and
  • other information related to the licence as specified in any notice updating the reporting requirements as issued by ISED.

All reports and statements must be certified by an officer of the company and submitted, in writing, within 120 days of the licensee’s fiscal year-end. Confidential information provided will be treated in accordance with section 20(1) of the Access to Information Act.

Reports are to be submitted to ISED at the following address:

Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada
c/o Manager, Emerging Networks Spectrum Management Operations Branch
235 Queen Street, 6th Floor
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0H5

Emailic.spectrumoperations-operationsduspectre.ic@canada.ca

Where a licensee holds multiple licences, spectrum implementation reports should be broken down by service area. This information, including the extent of implementation and spectrum usage, is important for analyzing each licensee’s individual performance against its conditions of licence. In addition, it allows ISED to monitor the effectiveness of these conditions in meeting the policy objectives regarding the band and ISED’s intent that the spectrum be deployed in a timely manner for the benefit of Canadians.

14. Amendments

The Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development retains the discretion to amend these terms and conditions of licence at any time.