700MHz Spectrum Requirements for Canadian Public Safety Interoperable Mobile Broadband Data Communications

In response to a request for technical advice by Public Safety Canada on behalf of national public safety stakeholders, the Centre for Security Science conducted a technical assessment of the 700 MHz spectrum requirements for broadband mobile data communications for public safety and security. The impetus to this assessment relates to the upcoming Industry Canada call for consultation SMSE-018-10. The goal was to determine how much spectrum is required to meet the needs of the public safety community for mobile broadband wireless data communications within a 20-year time frame. The data demand for recurring emergency situations was modeled through an interactive process with active participation from Canadian public safety stakeholders. In addition, the capabilities of LTE technology to support the data demands were also modeled. The results show that the amount of bandwidth required to satisfy the needs of public safety is greater than 20MHz in the near to mid term, and likely to also exceed 20MHz in the long term, despite advances in technology. This result is based on an analysis that applies relatively conservative estimates for the growth in demand for mobile data communications for public safety and security applications, and relatively aggressive estimates for the rate of technological improvement of spectrum efficiency projected into the future.