Canada ISED Adopts ETSI EN 301 893 V2.2.1 for 5 GHz DFS
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Canada: ISED Confirms ETSI EN 301 893 V2.2.1 as the Required 5 GHz DFS Test Standard
Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) has completed its transition to an updated Dynamic Frequency Selection (DFS) test standard for 5 GHz Wireless Access Systems and Radio Local Area Networks (WAS/RLAN). Following Notice 2025-DRS0006, the six month transition period has now closed, and new equipment certifications must demonstrate DFS compliance using the current version of the harmonised standard.
This is a certification and test method change, not a spectrum allocation change. It carries direct, immediate obligations for anyone certifying 5 GHz wireless equipment for the Canadian market.
What ISED changed with ETSI EN 301 893 V2.2.1
Through Notice 2025-DRS0006, published on September 10, 2025, ISED moved to adopt ETSI EN 301 893 V2.2.1 (2024-11) the harmonised standard governing 5 GHz WAS/RLAN access to radio spectrum as an accepted method for demonstrating compliance with its DFS requirements. The public consultation on the notice closed on November 19, 2025.
ISED then applied a six month transition period, during which certification applicants could use either the previous ETSI EN 301 893 V1.8.1 (2015-03) or the new V2.2.1 (2024-11) to show DFS compliance. That transition period closed on July 20, 2026. From that date forward, new certifications must use ETSI EN 301 893 V2.2.1 (2024-11), and the older V1.8.1 (2015-03) is no longer an accepted basis for new certification applications.
ISED notes that the updated version provides additional guidance for client devices with radar detection, which is the primary technical reason for the update.
Where the standard sits: RSS-247 and the DFS band scope
The requirement operates under RSS-247, ISED's Radio Standards Specification for Digital Transmission Systems, Frequency Hopping Systems, and Licence Exempt Local Area Network Devices, which covers the 902–928 MHz, 2400–2483.5 MHz, 5150–5350 MHz, and 5470–5895 MHz bands.
Within that framework, the acceptance of ETSI EN 301 893 is not uniform across every band:
Across the 5 GHz DFS bands generally, ETSI EN 301 893 is accepted as an alternative to ISED's KDB 905462 based test procedures for DFS testing.
In the 5600–5650 MHz sub band (a weather radar band), ETSI EN 301 893 is the only accepted DFS method there is no KDB 905462 alternative. Products operating in this sub band therefore depend entirely on the ETSI standard, and the move to V2.2.1 applies to them directly.
Scope guard: what this change does not do
To avoid misreading, note the following limits:
It does not create a new spectrum allocation or open new bands.
It does not, on its own, invalidate equipment that was already certified under V1.8.1 before the transition closed. The requirement applies to new certification applications from July 20, 2026.
It does not change the DFS obligation itself it changes the test method and version used to demonstrate that obligation.
It does not affect devices outside the DFS bands or non RLAN equipment falling under other RSS documents.
What this means for manufacturers
For manufacturers, importers, and test labs, the practical effect is straightforward but time sensitive:
Any 5 GHz WAS/RLAN product entering certification in Canada now must be tested to ETSI EN 301 893 V2.2.1 (2024-11). Test reports built on V1.8.1 are no longer acceptable for new applications.
In-progress projects that were relying on V1.8.1 evidence should be reassessed. If certification was not completed before July 20, 2026, the DFS test evidence will likely need to be regenerated against V2.2.1.
Products operating in the 5600–5650 MHz band are the most exposed, because ETSI EN 301 893 is their sole DFS test path there is no fallback procedure.
Client devices with radar detection should be reviewed against the additional guidance introduced in V2.2.1, as this is where the substantive technical differences concentrate.
Beyond the test report itself, ISED advises reviewing associated documentation user manuals, labelling, antenna information, and software/security controls to confirm they remain consistent with the certification basis.
Existing certifications remain valid unless separately affected, but any new or refreshed application should be planned around the V2.2.1 requirement.
Certification impact summary
Area | Impact |
Instrument type | Test method / harmonised standard adoption (direct compliance obligation) not a spectrum allocation |
Regulator | ISED (Certification and Engineering Bureau) |
Governing specification | RSS-247 (902–928 MHz, 2400–2483.5 MHz, 5150–5350 MHz, 5470–5895 MHz) |
New required standard | ETSI EN 301 893 V2.2.1 (2024-11) |
Superseded standard | ETSI EN 301 893 V1.8.1 (2015-03) no longer accepted for new certifications |
Effective for new certifications | July 20, 2026 |
Products affected | 5 GHz WAS/RLAN equipment routers, access points, mesh/IoT devices, multimedia and automotive infotainment systems with 5 GHz wireless |
Highest-exposure band | 5600–5650 MHz (ETSI EN 301 893 is the only accepted DFS method) |
Key technical change | Additional guidance for client devices with radar detection |
Existing certifications | Not automatically invalidated by this change |
Timeline and required actions
Date | Event / Action |
September 10, 2025 | ISED publishes Notice 2025-DRS0006 proposing adoption of ETSI EN 301 893 V2.2.1 (2024-11) |
November 19, 2025 | Public consultation closes |
Transition window (through July 20, 2026) | Either V1.8.1 (2015-03) or V2.2.1 (2024-11) accepted for DFS compliance |
July 20, 2026 | Transition closes new certifications must use V2.2.1 (2024-11); V1.8.1 no longer accepted for new applications |
Now (immediate) | Confirm all new 5 GHz DFS test evidence is generated against V2.2.1; identify any in flight projects still on V1.8.1 |
Now (immediate) | Re test or re baseline affected products, prioritising 5600–5650 MHz devices and client devices with radar detection |
Ongoing | Review user manuals, labelling, antenna data, and software/security controls for consistency with the V2.2.1 basis |
