Land mobile service

Learn about land mobile radiocommunications. These allow you to build a radio network to communicate between mobile vehicles, equipment or portable radios such as those in farm operations, taxis, police or private networks.

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Land mobile service

Overview of the land mobile service

Land mobile service bands are most commonly used for voice communications between mobile stations (portable radios, vehicles) and base stations (fixed dispatch stations), space stations, or other mobile stations.

Other uses of the land mobile service bands include low volume data transmission and SCADA (supervisory control and data acquisition) systems. The type of licence you require depends on what your equipment is used for and the geographical area in which you will operate.

For example, a trucking company would apply for a radio licence in the land mobile service in order to build and maintain a private communication network for radiocommunication between its fleet of vehicles on the road and its base station.

Important to know

  • See Private networks for more information on what constitutes a private network.
  • Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) also provides developmental licences that allow individuals and organizations to experiment with and develop new radio technologies.
    For more information, see: Developmental service

Ready to get started?

Use the following options to apply for or manage a radio licence in the Spectrum Management System (SMS).

Apply

Apply for a land mobile radio licence.

Manage

Modify or cancel a land mobile radio licence.

Not sure how to proceed?

Our interactive questionnaire will help you determine how to proceed with your application for a radio licence.


Start questionnaire
 

1. Is your request for one or more mobiles communicating with only other mobiles (no fixed stations)?

Mobile radios are considered any type of radio that is not fixed in a permanent location or present at a location for an extended period (fixed transportable).

Light-licensed mobiles are mobile stations operating a pre-established frequency list such as:

      •    logging contractors that only require resource road channels in British Columbia
      •    transport truck contractors that only require common uncontrolled sharing channels (British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba)
      •    search and rescue (SAR) that only require SAR-listed channels for the province of British Columbia
      •    forestry trucking in Quebec

Mobile-only stations are used for short-range communications and are typically portable hand-helds and radios mounted within vehicles.

Aeronautical or maritime mobiles allow communications with other stations on specified land mobile frequency bands.

  • 1a. No, there are fixed stations that are part of the request

    2. Is your request for fixed-to-fixed communications or mobiles communicating with one or more fixed stations?

    The following are considered types of fixed stations:

    • Base Station: a fixed station that communicates directly to mobile stations
    • Repeater Station: a fixed station that receives a signal and then retransmits that signal in order to provide greater coverage for communications
    • Base Access Station: a fixed station that communicates to mobiles by communicating via a repeater
    • Zone Enhancer: commonly known as a signal booster, these fixed stations are used to enhance the signal level in isolated areas where the signal level is too weak for reliable communications

    Examples of this type of system include those used by emergency services, taxi dispatch, trucking companies and construction companies.

    (Select fixed-to-fixed if you are looking to license a different scenario than those described above, e.g. SCADA (supervisory control and data acquisition) systems, studio-transmitter link (STL), data transfers, etc.)

  • 1b. Yes, light-licensed mobiles
  • 1c. Yes, mobile-only stations
  • 1d. Yes, aeronautical or maritime mobiles

You require a licence for a Light-Licensed Mobile station

Click the button below to apply for a licence.

Note that you must have previously registered before using the Spectrum Management System (SMS). If you have not done so already, Register to use the SMS to get your Web Profile.

To learn more about radio licences, consult our Radio licensing page.

See How to apply for a radio licence for information on how to apply for a licence.

Apply for: Light-Licensed Mobile

Be informed

ISED has published several procedures, policies and standards that apply to licensing. Consult our Official Publications page to see if there is additional information that could be relevant to you.

You require a licence for a Mobile-Only station

Click the button below to apply for a licence.

Note that you must have previously registered before using the Spectrum Management System (SMS). If you have not done so already, Register to use the SMS to get your Web Profile.

To learn more about radio licences, consult our Radio licensing page.

See How to apply for a radio licence for information on how to apply for a licence.

Apply for: Mobile-Only

Be informed

ISED has published several procedures, policies and standards that apply to licensing. Consult our Official Publications page to see if there is additional information that could be relevant to you.

The land mobile service may not be what you are looking for

If you are planning on using your mobile device on board aircraft, please see the Aeronautical service.

If you are planning on using your mobile device on board a maritime vessel, please see the Maritime service.

For any other operations, please contact your local Spectrum Management District Office for further instructions.

You require a licence for Base and Mobile stations

Important note when entering information:

  • At the “System type” page, you will be asked to select an “Application type.” Select “Base/Repeater to mobile.” Then, for “System configuration,” select “Fixed Base to Mobile” or “Transportable Base to Mobile” if your base station is transportable.
  • If you require assistance when filling out the form, consult the Radio licence - Data entry guide.

Click the button below to apply for a licence.

Note that you must have previously registered before using the Spectrum Management System (SMS). If you have not done so already, Register to use the SMS to get your Web Profile.

To learn more about radio licences, consult our Radio licensing page.

See How to apply for a radio licence for information on how to apply for a licence.

Apply for: Base and Mobile

Be informed

ISED has published several procedures, policies and standards that apply to licensing. Consult our Official Publications page to see if there is additional information that could be relevant to you.

We also have a Spectrum Allocation Tool you can use to find information about specific bands or frequency range like those in the Land mobile service.

You require a licence for Base and Mobile stations

Important note when entering information:

For only a repeater (no base access):

  • At the “System type” page, you will be asked to select an “Application type.” Select “Base/repeater to mobile.” Then, for “System configuration,” select “Fixed Repeater to Mobile” or “Transportable Repeater to Mobile” if your repeater station is transportable.

For a repeater and base access:

  • At the “System type” page, you will be asked to select an “Application type.” Select “Base via repeater to mobile.” Then, for “System configuration,” select "Fixed Base via Fixed Repeater to Mobile.”
    Note: If any of your fixed stations are transportable, please select the appropriate option from the “System configuration” drop down.
  • If you require assistance when filling out the form, consult the Radio licence - Data entry guide.

Click the button below to apply for a licence.

Note that you must have previously registered before using the Spectrum Management System (SMS). If you have not done so already, Register to use the SMS to get your Web Profile.

To learn more about radio licences, consult our Radio licensing page.

See How to apply for a radio licence for information on how to apply for a licence.

Apply for: Base and Mobile

Be informed

ISED has published several procedures, policies and standards that apply to licensing. Consult our Official Publications page to see if there is additional information that could be relevant to you.

We also have a Spectrum Allocation Tool you can use to find information about specific bands or frequency range like those in the Land mobile service.

Contact ISED

We recommend that you contact your local Spectrum Management District Office for further instructions.

Contact ISED

We recommend that you contact your local Spectrum Management District Office for further instructions.

You require a licence for Base and Mobile stations

Important note when entering information:

  • At the “System type” page, you will be asked to select an “Application type.” Select “Fixed to fixed (point-to-point).” Then, for “System configuration,” select "Fixed to fixed” if both of your stations are fixed, or one of the other options if some stations are transportable.
  • If you require assistance when filling out the form, consult the Radio licence - Data entry guide.

Click the button below to apply for a licence.

Note that you must have previously registered before using the Spectrum Management System (SMS). If you have not done so already, Register to use the SMS to get your Web Profile.

To learn more about radio licences, consult our Radio licensing page.

See How to apply for a radio licence for information on how to apply for a licence.

Apply for: Base and Mobile

Be informed

ISED has published several procedures, policies and standards that apply to licensing. Consult our Official Publications page to see if there is additional information that could be relevant to you.

We also have a Spectrum Allocation Tool you can use to find information about specific bands or frequency range like those in the Land mobile service.

You require a licence for Base and Mobile stations

If the other fixed stations are permanent and will not move:

  • At the “System type” page, you will be asked to select an “Application type.” Select “Point-to-multipoint (known endpoints).”

If you don’t know the location of the other fixed stations or they will move from time to time:

  • At the “System type” page, you will be asked to select an “Application type.” Select “Point-to-multipoint (unknown endpoints).”
  • If you require assistance when filling out the form, consult the Radio licence - Data entry guide.

Click the button below to apply for a licence.

Note that you must have previously registered before using the Spectrum Management System (SMS). If you have not done so already, Register to use the SMS to get your Web Profile.

To learn more about radio licences, consult our Radio licensing page.

See How to apply for a radio licence for information on how to apply for a licence.

Apply for: Base and Mobile

Be informed

ISED has published several procedures, policies and standards that apply to licensing. Consult our Official Publications page to see if there is additional information that could be relevant to you.

We also have a Spectrum Allocation Tool you can use to find information about specific bands or frequency range like those in the Land mobile service.

Contact ISED

We recommend that you contact your local Spectrum Management District Office for further instructions.

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