Canada ISED MSS Spectrum Consultation: L & S Bands
- Jun 9
- 5 min read
Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) has launched a preliminary consultation on the future of Mobile Satellite Service (MSS) and the use of L and S band spectrum. Published on May 13, 2026 under reference SMSE-008-26, the document opens a formal review of one of the most contested areas of the global radio spectrum and, unusually for a consultation, it takes immediate regulatory effect through an accompanying licensing moratorium. Stakeholders have until June 29, 2026 to file comments.
For satellite operators, device makers, and regulatory affairs teams tracking direct-to-device (D2D) and Internet-of-Things (IoT) connectivity, this is a development worth reading closely. It signals that Canada intends to modernize an MSS framework that, in ISED's own words, has not changed significantly in many years.
Regulatory Context
ISED manages Canada's radio frequency spectrum under the authority of the Department of Industry Act, the Radiocommunication Act, and the Radiocommunication Regulations, with due regard to the objectives of the Telecommunications Act. Through SMSE-008-26, the department is exercising that mandate to ask a foundational question: does Canada's MSS policy, technical, and licensing framework still fit a market that has shifted from satellite phones to smartphone-grade D2D connectivity?
The consultation sits alongside two recent reference points. Domestically, ISED's 2025 decision SMSE-001-25 established the framework for Supplemental Mobile Coverage by Satellite (SMCS) — D2D delivered over terrestrial spectrum. Internationally, the consultation explicitly references the U.S. Federal Communications Commission's April 23, 2026 decision reaffirming incumbent licensees' exclusive rights in certain MSS bands, and the European Union's parallel review of its 2 GHz MSS band. Canada is, in effect, joining a coordinated international rethink of how scarce mid-band MSS spectrum should be used.
What the ISED MSS Spectrum Consultation Covers
ISED has scoped the review to the mid-band MSS segments where it has seen the most commercial interest:
L-band: 1525–1559 MHz and 1626.5–1660.5 MHz
"Big LEO" bands: 1610–1626.5 MHz and 2483.5–2500 MHz
2 GHz band: 2000–2020 MHz and 2180–2200 MHz
2020–2025 MHz
Within these segments, ISED is seeking comment across nine numbered questions (Q1–Q9) covering future demand for traditional MSS, IoT, D2D, and ancillary terrestrial component (ATC) services; the spectrum each use case requires; equipment ecosystem timelines; Canadian coverage obligations; spectrum sharing and exclusivity; and whether spectrum should be reserved for or prioritized toward Canadian systems on sovereignty and security grounds.
The Moratorium — Effective Immediately
The most consequential part of SMSE-008-26 is not a question but a decision. Effective the date of publication (May 13, 2026), ISED has placed a moratorium on:
The licensing of satellite spectrum for commercial MSS systems, including transfers, in 1525–1559 MHz and 1626.5–1660.5 MHz; 1610–1626.5 MHz and 2483.5–2500 MHz; and 2000–2020 MHz and 2180–2200 MHz; and
The licensing of ancillary terrestrial component (ATC) mobile service in the same bands, including any transfer or subordination of ATC licences.
ISED will not accept new commercial MSS licence applications in these bands during the moratorium, and applications already under consideration are placed on hold with their order preserved until the framework review concludes. Critically, the moratorium does not apply to spectrum used by government or academic institutions, or to developmental licensing. Note also that the 2020–2025 MHz segment is within the consultation's scope but is not named in the moratorium bands.
Technical Scope
The consultation reflects how thoroughly 3GPP standardization has reshaped the MSS landscape. Since 2017, 3GPP has integrated non-terrestrial networks (NTN) into mobile standards, enabling standardized satellite support for NB-IoT and LTE-M devices and direct handset connections to LEO and GSO satellites.
ISED's document identifies the relevant 5G NTN satellite band classes, n250 through n256, spanning the L and S band ranges under review, as well as terrestrial 5G band classes (n24, n54, n65, n66, n70, n99) that overlap or encompass MSS spectrum. For device makers, this overlap is the heart of the matter: chipsets are increasingly being built to address both terrestrial and satellite bands, and ISED's framework choices will influence which bands are commercially usable in Canada.
The department is also tracking the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) process. WRC-23 carried an MSS agenda item, and WRC-27 will revisit the potential identification of new MSS allocations — meaning today's consultation feeds directly into Canada's positioning ahead of an international spectrum negotiation.
What This Means for Manufacturers
For manufacturers and importers of MSS, D2D, and satellite-IoT equipment, SMSE-008-26 is a strategic signal rather than an immediate compliance trigger. There is no change to equipment certification or Radio Standards Specification (RSS) requirements as a result of this consultation. Devices that are compliant today remain compliant.
The practical implications are forward looking:
Market access timing may shift. With commercial MSS and ATC licensing frozen in the affected bands, the rollout of new commercial satellite based services in Canada that depend on fresh spectrum grants is effectively paused until the framework review concludes.
Band planning carries new uncertainty. Manufacturers designing chipsets and devices around L and S band NTN classes (n250–n256) should factor in that Canada's eventual rules on exclusivity, coverage, and Canadian, system prioritization are still open.
Sovereignty considerations could affect future eligibility. ISED is openly asking whether to reserve spectrum for or prioritize Canadian systems a question that could shape which operators (and therefore which device ecosystems) gain access.
The consultation is an input opportunity. Equipment makers with a stake in D2D or satellite-IoT can shape the outcome by responding to Q1–Q9, particularly the questions on equipment ecosystem timelines (Q2) and framework changes that would improve availability (Q4).
Certification Impact Summary
Area | Status under SMSE-008-26 | Impact level |
Equipment certification / RSS requirements | No change | None (immediate) |
Existing device compliance | Unaffected | None |
New commercial MSS spectrum licensing (named bands) | Frozen by moratorium (eff. May 13, 2026) | High |
New ATC mobile service licensing (named bands) | Frozen by moratorium | High |
Licence transfers / subordination in named bands | Suspended | High |
Government, academic, and developmental licensing | Exempt from moratorium | None |
Future MSS policy / technical / licensing framework | Under review; subject to a possible further consultation | Medium (forward-looking) |
Device band planning (n250–n256, overlapping terrestrial classes) | Uncertain pending framework outcome | Medium |
Timeline and Required Actions
May 13, 2026: Consultation published; moratorium effective. SMSE-008-26 released; licensing freeze on commercial MSS and ATC in the named bands begins immediately.
Now through June 29, 2026: Comment window. Affected operators, manufacturers, and importers should prepare and file written submissions addressing Q1–Q9.
By June 29, 2026: Submission deadline. Comments must reach ISED by this date to be considered. Submissions received are subsequently posted publicly on ISED's spectrum management website.
After the comment period: Reply phase and review. ISED may invite reply comments, then review the framework. A further, more detailed consultation may follow before any policy or licensing change is finalized.
Ongoing: WRC-27 alignment. Track the ITU agenda item on new MSS allocations, as Canada's framework decisions are expected to align with that process.
Recommended actions for stakeholders:
Confirm whether any current or planned Canadian licensing activity falls within the moratorium bands, and assess the timing impact.
Map your device and chipset roadmap against the L and S band classes under review.
Decide whether to file a submission by June 29, 2026 especially on equipment ecosystem readiness and framework improvements.
Monitor ISED for the next stage consultation and any associated technical or licensing changes.
Market Significance
SMSE-008-26 places Canada among a small group of jurisdictions alongside the United States and the European Union, actively reworking the rules for mid band MSS spectrum at the same moment that D2D moves from emergency texting toward mainstream connectivity.
By pairing an open consultation with an immediate licensing freeze, ISED is signalling that it wants to settle the framework before committing scarce spectrum, while explicitly weighing sovereignty, security, and rural connectivity objectives. For anyone building or importing satellite connected devices, the outcome of this review will help define which MSS services can reach the Canadian market, and when.
