Spectrum licensing (terrestrial)

Spectrum licences authorize the use of a specific frequency(ies) or frequency block(s) within a designated geographic area. This type of licence is often used to support commercial mobile services, railways, private networks, vertical industries, and developmental trials.

Apply for and manage terrestrial spectrum licences

On this page:

• Terrestrial spectrum licences
• Overview of terrestrial spectrum licensing
• Who can hold a terrestrial spectrum licence?
• Your obligations
• Fees
• Service standards
• Licensing processes
• Service areas for competitive licensing
• Secondary market: transfers and subordinations
• Document hub

Overview of terrestrial spectrum licensing

Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) recognizes the significant role wireless services play in the lives of Canadians. As part of its mandate to manage Canada’s spectrum resources, the department issues terrestrial spectrum licences based on established licensing frameworks and conditions of licences.

Who can hold a terrestrial spectrum licence?

Generally, Canadian residents and organizations are eligible to hold spectrum licences as noted in section 9 of the Radiocommunication Regulations.  ISED may introduce further eligibility requirements in certain bands to achieve stated objectives in the licensing framework. For instance, access spectrum licences made available through the Indigenous Priority Window will only be available to Indigenous applicants.

Your obligations

All spectrum licences come with a set of conditions, which are normally developed through public consultation. The purpose of the conditions are designed to ensure licensees use the spectrum effectively and avoid interfering with one another. As a licensee, you must remain in compliance with these conditions in order to keep your licence. 

Many spectrum licences require you to comply with the following: 

• radio frequency exposure limits
• the Framework for Mandatory Roaming and Antenna Tower and Site Sharing 
• uploading station data monthly as per the Decision on Amendments to Requirements for Spectrum Licensees to Submit Technical Information about Sites. For more information on how to upload spectrum licence site data, please visit How to submit a monthly update of technical data.

For more information, see: Compliance information for licence and certificate holders

Fees

There is often a licence fee associated with the use of licensed spectrum.

Licence fees are established to encourage the efficient use of spectrum for the benefit of Canadians, and to obtain a fair return to Canadians for the use of spectrum. The cost of a license depends on a number of factors, including the spectrum band, the type of licence and the area of intended use. These fees are prescribed by fee order under the Department of Industry Act.

To remain compliant with the conditions on the licence, licensees must pay applicable fees.

For more information, see: Spectrum Licence Fees

Service standards

ISED strives to meet its service standards and provide prompt service for requests.

For more information, consult: Spectrum and Telecommunications Service Standards

Licensing processes

Spectrum licensing processes are defined by various licensing frameworks, developed after public consultations. Once these public consultations conclude, ISED reviews all the comments to determine how the spectrum will be licensed, based on the technical specifications, market demand, and policy objectives.

These licensing processes include spectrum auctions, first-come first-served, and all-come all-served approaches. The degree of protection from harmful interference between spectrum users varies depending on the licensing process:

• Spectrum auction: A spectrum auction is a competitive process, where applicants bid on the spectrum licences they would like to acquire. ISED typically uses an auction when demand for spectrum is expected to exceed the supply. Competitive measures may be added in auctions to help small and regional providers access limited spectrum resources. Consult ISED’s Auctions page for more information on this licensing process.
• First-come first-served: The first applicant receives the spectrum licence if their application meets the required criteria. An example of this is the non-competitive local licensing framework.
• All-come all-served: Every applicant is granted a spectrum licence if their application meets the criteria. An example of this is the licensing framework for radio local area network devices operating in the 5150-5250 MHz frequency band. 

Licences are normally renewable unless there is a breach of a licence condition, a reallocation of spectrum is required, or an overriding policy need arises. The process for the renewal of a licence after the initial term, including the conditions of the new licence, will be determined by the Minister following a public consultation.

Service areas for competitive licensing

The Department developed a five-tier service area structure to support the issuance of spectrum licences.

• Tier 1: a single national service area.
• Tier 2: eight provincial/territorial and six large regional service areas in Ontario and Quebec.
• Tier 3: 59 smaller regional service areas.
• Tier 4: 172 large localized service areas.
• Tier 5: 654 small localized service areas.

While the tier system provides a standard way to define licence areas, ISED may sometimes work with applicants to define custom service areas – especially in cases where licences are issued on a first-come, first-served basis or where no set geographic areas exist. The licensing framework under which spectrum licences are issued will identify whether it is based on a tier approach or not.

All tiers are based on spectrum grid cells. Details are available at Service Areas for Competitive Licensing.

Secondary market: transfers and subordinations

Certain spectrum licences have transferability and divisibility rights accorded to them. All transfers or subordinations are subject to ISED’s review and approval.

• Transfers: A transfer occurs when control of a licence changes either in whole or in part (either in geographic area or in bandwidth) to another licensee.
• Subordinations: A subordination occurs when a licensee enters into an agreement that allows another party to operate within their licence area, using the licensed spectrum or a portion of the licensee’s frequency or geographic area.

For more information on these topics please consult:

• CPC-2-1-23 — Licensing Procedure for Spectrum Licences for Terrestrial Services
• Framework Relating to Transfers, Divisions and Subordinate Licensing of Spectrum Licences for Commercial Mobile Spectrum

Document hub

Consult our Official publications for additional information on spectrum licensing.

Licensees can also consult Facts about towers for information on towers and the importance of this infrastructure.

For more information on satellite spectrum licences, see: Satellite spectrum authorizations.