DECISION 8: In light of the considerations and comments mentioned above, the following decisions have been adopted:
Industry Canada will work with the FCC to develop a process to transition to the new DTV allotment plan based on a phase-in approach.
All regular power TV undertakings currently operating below the to-be-repurposed 600 MHz band that need to relocate to a new channel assignment in the new DTV allotment plan will be provided with a minimum notification period of 18 months after the implementation plan is finalized.
Regular power TV undertakings (in either DTV or NTSC mode) currently operating in the to-be-repurposed 600 MHz band will be permitted to continue using their current channels and modes of operation (i.e. analog or digital) until the spectrum is needed for the deployment of mobile broadband services. Industry Canada will issue a displacement notification only if it is determined that the continued operation of these undertakings will prevent the deployment of new mobile services in the 600 MHz band.
For these TV undertakings, the following minimum notification periods will apply (as detailed in Annex A): (i) regular power TV undertakings located in urban areas will be afforded a minimum of a one-year notification period; and (ii) regular power TV undertakings located in all other areas will be afforded a minimum of a two-year notification period.
Regular power TV undertakings (in either DTV or NTSC mode) operating outside the to-be-repurposed 600 MHz band will be permitted to operate on a secondary basis (i.e., on a no-interference, no-protection basis) relative to other TV stations.
Additional information will be collected to evaluate the ability of broadcasting facilities to operate over extended frequency ranges.
8C indicates that stations will only have to move when their spectrum is needed, not by a predetermined regulatory date. Stations in rural areas will probably operate on their current channel longer than urban stations. 8B implies that some Canadian stations currently operating under channel 36/37 could have to move (with an 18 month warning) to accommodate new U.S. allotments.
