Canada ISED Consults on SRSP-310.7 Issue 5 (11 GHz)

Canada Opens Comment Period on ISED SRSP-310.7 Issue 5 for 11 GHz Fixed Systems

Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) has released a draft revision of one of its core microwave-band standards for public comment. On June 5, 2026, the department circulated SRSP-310.7, Issue 5 (Draft) Technical Requirements for Fixed Line-of-Sight Radio Systems Operating in the Band 10.7–11.7 GHz through the Radio Advisory Board of Canada (RABC), the body ISED uses to consult industry on technical standards. Stakeholders have until Friday, August 28, 2026 to file comments.

For equipment vendors, integrators, and licensees active in Canada's 11 GHz fixed microwave market, the draft matters most for one reason: it opens spectrum that was previously off-limits and aligns the national channel plan accordingly.

Regulatory Context

SRSP-310.7 is a Standard Radio System Plan (SRSP). It sets the minimum technical and frequency coordination requirements for point-to-point, digital line of sight systems in the fixed service operating across the 10.7–11.7 GHz band. SRSPs govern how fixed links are planned, licensed, and coordinated in Canada, they are distinct from Radio Standards Specifications (RSS), which set equipment certification requirements.

The Issue 5 revision is driven by a spectrum-access change. Under earlier policy (Notice DGTP-013-09), ISED would not license new fixed-service systems in the 11.075–11.2 GHz and 11.575–11.7 GHz sub-bands until January 1, 2026. Those sub-bands were tied to satellite (extended Ku-band) use. Following the department's decision on a request from Telesat Spectrum General Partnership regarding continued operation of the Anik G1 satellite at 107.3°W, ISED is now updating SRSP-310.7 to add fixed-service channels in those previously restricted sub-bands.

Technical Scope of the ISED SRSP-310.7 Issue 5 Update

According to the draft, the main changes are:

1. Expanded channel arrangement. The radio frequency (RF) channel plan is updated to add channels covering the 11.075–11.2 GHz and 11.575–11.7 GHz sub-bands, consistent with the Telesat / Anik G1 decision. The accompanying channel-plan tables form Annex A of the revised SRSP.

2. Removal of redundant requirements. Provisions already covered by SRSP-300-Gen (the general SRSP) have been removed to avoid duplication.

3. Removal of outdated congestion provisions. Certain older technical restrictions that applied additional limits in congested areas have been removed.

4. Editorial clarifications. Various clarifications and editorial corrections appear throughout the document.

   
   

The draft is accompanied by a bilingual (EN-FR) channel-plan spreadsheet that contains the tables intended for Annex A.

What This Means for Manufacturers

The practical effect of Issue 5 is the availability of new operating spectrum for 11 GHz fixed point-to-point links, paired with a revised national channel plan. For manufacturers, importers, and integrators of microwave equipment, the implications are:

• Channel-plan alignment, not new type approval. Because SRSP-310.7 is a system plan rather than an RSS, this revision does not, on its own, create a new equipment certification requirement. The action item is ensuring that 11 GHz radios, center frequencies, channel bandwidths, and tuning ranges, can be configured to the updated Annex A arrangement, including the newly added sub-bands.

• A larger addressable band. Equipment capable of operating in 11.075–11.2 GHz and 11.575–11.7 GHz becomes deployable in Canada for fixed links once Issue 5 is finalized, expanding the usable portion of the 10.7–11.7 GHz band for backhaul and other point-to-point applications.

• Coordination and licensing context. Fixed-service systems in this band remain subject to frequency coordination and licensing under the relevant Radio Standards Procedure (RSP-113) and general spectrum policies. Vendors supplying Canadian operators should confirm their products' compliance with the finalized channel plan before marketing them for the new sub-bands.

• Comment window for influence. The open period is an opportunity for vendors and operators to flag any practical concerns with the proposed channel arrangement (for example, guard-band, paired-channel, or coexistence considerations with satellite operations) before the plan is finalized.

Certification Impact Summary

Aspect	Current (SRSP-310.7, Issue 4)	Proposed (Issue 5, Draft)	Impact on manufacturers / licensees
Band scope	10.7–11.7 GHz, with 11.075–11.2 & 11.575–11.7 GHz restricted for new fixed links	Same band; restricted sub-bands opened to fixed-service channels	New deployable spectrum for 11 GHz point-to-point equipment
Channel plan (Annex A)	Existing arrangement	Expanded to cover the two newly added sub-bands	Radios must be configurable to the updated channel plan
Document type	Standard Radio System Plan (licensing/coordination)	Unchanged — still an SRSP, not an RSS	No new equipment type-approval (RSS) requirement created by this change
Redundant / outdated provisions	Present (overlap with SRSP-300-Gen; congestion restrictions)	Removed	Simpler, de-duplicated technical baseline
Status	In force	Draft — open for comment until Aug 28, 2026	Not yet binding; subject to change after consultation

Timeline and Required Actions

1. June 5, 2026: Draft released. ISED circulates SRSP-310.7, Issue 5 (Draft) and the EN-FR channel-plan spreadsheet via RABC. Action: download and review the draft and Annex A tables against your product channel plans.

2. June–August 2026: Comment preparation. Action: assess whether your 11 GHz radios can be configured to the new 11.075–11.2 GHz and 11.575–11.7 GHz channels; identify any technical concerns for submission.

3. August 28, 2026: Comment deadline. Action: file comments through the RABC consultation page (or by the channel ISED specifies) before end of day. Late submissions risk not being considered.

4. Post-consultation (date TBD) Final SRSP issued. ISED reviews input and publishes the final Issue 5. Action: confirm products comply with the finalized channel plan before marketing them for the newly opened sub-bands in Canada.

   
   

Market Significance

The Issue 5 revision is incremental in form but meaningful in effect: it converts spectrum that was reserved from new fixed-service licensing into usable capacity for 11 GHz point to point links. For a band heavily used for mobile backhaul and enterprise connectivity, opening the 11.075–11.2 GHz and 11.575–11.7 GHz sub-bands and tidying the standard by removing duplicative provisions, gives operators and their equipment suppliers additional room to plan links. Manufacturers that align their channel configurations early will be positioned to serve Canadian demand as soon as the final standard takes effect.