700 mhz digital PS Band in Canada

[Jammin_Jay]

I am just wondering if anyone has heard or has come across something that would indicate Which agencies in Ontario, or Canada for that matter, would be using the new 700 mhz band plan, which they currently are implementing in the United States or if there are any that are thinking to jump onboard. There remains a lot of trial and error to be seen with this band implementation, should be interesting when there are a lot more users on the band, such as there are on 800mhz. Especially that theres 3 different bandwidths specified for 700 and an allocation for interoperability.

 

[Forts]

Looks like the RCMP are ready to embrace the technology:

http://www.strategis.ic.gc.ca/epic/internet/insmt-gst.nsf/vwapj/rcmp-1.pdf/$FILE/rcmp-1.pdf

 

[Jay911]

The PDF that Forts provided is quite interesting and, I think, ties in to something I learned last week and shared in the Western Canada forum.

The province of Alberta is beginning a project to establish a provincewide radio system. The main driving force behind it is the provincial government radio users (parks, ministry of transport, etc) and the RCMP, both of which have ancient, outdated radio systems. The provincial representative at the meeting I attended (for public safety officials to learn about this endeavor) talked about the system being designed as a 700MHz network. His comments led me to believe that Industry Canada has been initially reluctant to open up the 700MHz "public safety" segment for use so soon, as they wanted to wait until the USA officially adopts it at a later date - after they move all UHF TV users out of the band, presumably. The province and the stakeholders (RCMP, etc) supposedly did some "standing up" for their side of the argument - which I wouldn't be surprised if that RCMP PDF was drafted specifically for, and broadened in scope to benefit the entire country as a matter of protocol/procedure. The end result, so I'm led to believe, is that instead of being forced to grudgingly approve, kicking & screaming, deployments into the 700MHz "band", IC is now actively encouraging public safety to apply for licenses in said segment.

A very lengthy, roundabout way of saying that Alberta intends to establish a 700MHz network by the end of the year.

 

[Jammin_Jay]

I could imagine what the cost would be to implement a province wide, perhaps country wide system. It will be interesting to see how industry canada maps out the liscenses. But for industry canada to say "come on and apply, jump aboard", when there are still things to work out in that spectrum, such as remaining uhf stations. It will be the same thing as when they removed upper uhf tv channels for the 800 mhz for cell phone and public saftey, various trunking systems accept completey digital with the 700mhz instead of analog, with 3 different bandwidth allocations. Already in transition is DTV, (digital television) in Canada and the United States. Industry Canada and the FCC, better get there act together when it comes to border cities and regions using 700 mhz, to avoid interference and follow a standard layed out. The only difference that i know when it comes to the 2 countries band plan is us-IBOC and canada-DAB when it comes to digital FM radio, where canada decided to adopt the Eureka-147 system.