Lab to play ‘transformative’ role in wireless spectrum: Bains

OTTAWA — The future of wireless spectrum in Canada won’t be about who holds the largest amount of it, but rather who wields it in the most-efficient manner, Innovation Minister Navdeep Bains said Monday, alluding to potential for far-off changes in how spectrum is allocated, as he marked the opening of the country’s Big Data Analytics Centre in the capital city. The centre, about two years in the making, is the newest division of the Communications Research Centre, the research arm of Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, which has been studying wireless telecommunications for more than 50 years. As a finite resource, “we need to understand exactly how spectrum is currently being used,” Bains said. “And at this lab, our researchers will use data; and big data is so important to understand in real time where the unused radio waves could be put to work.” According to Jean Luc Bérubé, Communications Research Centre president, the lab will use “big data analytics, cloud computing, crowdsourced information, data fusion and state-of-the-art visualization” to carry out its work, which officials said is the first by any government laboratory. Waterloo, Ont.-based Cognitive Systems Corp. is providing the sensor technology used by the centre, which CEO Hugh Hind said Monday “enable you to visualize this invisible infrastructure and actually derive information about where it’s being used efficiently, where there are things like interference that need to be resolved.” Speaking to reporters after grand opening formalities, Bains said that though the research is in its early stages, ideally, it would lead to opportunities for increased competition and, subsequently, lower wireless prices for consumers. “The idea is … as the technology is developed, people will have access to spectrum in real time and so therefore, as opposed to the current system where spectrum is allocated to a particular incumbent or particular Internet service provider, now individuals will have access to spectrum in real time. So basically it means more competition and better use of spectrum,” Bains said. When asked about the future potential of real-time access to change the allocation of spectrum from the current auction model, Bains said the “new technology, which is early stages, does have the ability to be very transformative and potentially help a lot of the smaller Internet service providers or some of the smaller providers that exist,” but that the government would be sticking with the auction model for the repurposed 600 MHz rollout. For years, academics have been positing about the introduction of a real-time secondary market for wireless spectrum as a way to manage scarcity, where users can purchase underutilized spectrum held by incumbents or government regulators, similar to the idea of TV white space, or underused spectrum designated for over-the-air (OTA) signals. The United States recently wrapped up its 600 MHz spectrum auction, raising $19.8 billion. ISED officials have said the timing of the Canadian auction was tied to the American process. Bains wouldn’t provide a firmer timeline Monday on the Canadian auction, only saying that the government was “working with the U.S., now the next phase is really to work closely with industry and I’m confident that we’ll get this out in a timely manner.” According to Barclays Capital analyst Philip Huang, the big three would prefer the government drag its feet on the 600 MHz auction, leaving it until 2019 or 2020. — With reporting by Charelle Evelyn at cevelyn@thewirereport.ca and editing by Anja Karadeglija at akarad@thewirereport.ca

Lab to play ‘transformative’ role in wireless spectrum: Bains

Broadcast | May 8, 2017

Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need.

FREE TRIAL

SUBSCRIBE

Inside The Wire Report

Information

Hill Times Publishing

Get in Touch With Us

Lab to play ‘transformative’ role in wireless spectrum: Bains

Broadcast | May 8, 2017

Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need.

FREE TRIAL

SUBSCRIBE

Related Stories

Terrestar takes CRTC spectrum revenue decision to Federal Court of Appeal

ISED hears further efforts needed in consultation on Indigenous Priority Window for spectrum

Funding gaps, policy shortfalls keeping rural Canada offline, experts say

Telesat announces funding deals with governments of Canada, Quebec

Reuse & Permissions

Inside The Wire Report

Information

Hill Times Publishing

Get in Touch With Us