NGSO framework released

Applications for non-geostationary satellite orbit (NGSO) systems will be accepted again as of June 26, following the release of Innovation, Science and Economic Development (ISED) Canada’s new framework for licensing the low-earth orbit systems. In a decision posted online Monday, the department said it was “implementing changes that streamline the licensing process, resulting in more satellite systems being approved faster before they enter the market.” The changes follow a nearly year-long moratorium on licensing for NGSO spectrum and a public consultation, where domestic and foreign satellite companies squared off, with the former arguing for a level playing field and the latter asking for less cumbersome licensing requirements. Among the new rules ISED settled on include not having limits on the number of licences issued per frequency band and that primary telemetry, telecommand and control facilities and network operations centres must be located within Canadian territory. While ISED has “relaxed” the rules on facility locations for GSO satellites, it’s not ready to do so for NGSO systems, and it doesn’t “present an undue hardship on licensees” to keep the requirement, it said. “The same conditions do not yet exist for an NGSO environment where large, or ‘mega’ NGSO systems are deployed to provide ubiquitous connectivity,” the decision said, adding that implementation will be carried out “in order to ensure the Minister’s ability to exercise his authority for the orderly development of the spectrum resource.” ISED also changed its original proposal that all commercial NGSO fixed- and broadcasting-satellite services must cover 100 per cent of Canadian territory all of the time, to just those “designed for the provision of real-time services to end users.” Among the arguments against the idea the department heard were that it “was not reasonable based on Canada’s large land mass and low population; and that the Department should either adopt a less stringent minimum requirement or focus on encouraging maximum coverage and requiring ‘best efforts’ rather than establishing a hard requirement,” the decision said. ISED said it “acknowledges that the coverage requirement is linked to the policy framework for telecommunications and broadcasting services.” The majority of respondents in the consultation opposed the department’s proposal for capacity requirements for the satellites, but they will still appear in some form, the decision said. Conditions of licence “related to the maintenance of Canadian coverage and the ability to meet Canadian capacity needs” will be imposed, but without a specific amount dictated, it said, adding that “the intent of the coverage requirement is that licensed systems must be able to, not just physically cover Canadian territory, but also be able to offer services to Canadians. This means having capacity available, or the ability to add capacity within a reasonable timeframe, for Canadian customers.” Another contentious issue in the consultation had to do with co-ordination requirements for foreign-licensed systems wanting to operate in Canada. Having this requirement “could severely hamper Canadian access to the new, innovative and competitive services these systems are expected to support,” the Boeing Company had said in its submission, while Ottawa-based Telesat Holdings Inc. said the Canadian space industry could be affected if a level playing field isn’t put in place for both Canadian and foreign licensees. The department sided with the Canadian companies, saying ISED will “continue with its current practice of requiring foreign-licensed systems to coordinate with Canadian networks prior to granting approval to operate in Canada.” — With reporting by Charelle Evelyn at cevelyn@thewirereport.ca and editing by Ahmad Hathout at ahathout@thewirereport.ca

NGSO framework released

News | June 6, 2017

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NGSO framework released

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