Canada RSS-199 Issue 5: ISED Consults on 2500–2690 MHz BRS Equipment
Canada: ISED Opens Public Consultation on RSS-199 Issue 5 for Broadband Radio Service (BRS) Equipment in the 2500–2690 MHz Band
Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) has launched a public consultation on the draft Radio Standards Specification RSS-199, Issue 5, Broadband Radio Service (BRS) Equipment Operating in the Band 2500–2690 MHz. The consultation opened on September 25, 2026, and stakeholders may submit comments until December 4, 2026.
RSS-199 sets out the certification requirements for base station, fixed service and subscriber equipment operating in the 2500–2690 MHz band. Once published, Issue 5 will replace RSS-199, Issue 4, which has been in force since July 2023. In parallel, ISED opened a companion consultation on SRSP-517, Issue 3, the Standard Radio System Plan that defines the technical requirements for BRS deployment in the same band.
Regulatory Background
The 2500–2690 MHz band is one of Canada's core mid-band spectrum resources for mobile broadband, supporting LTE and 5G NR deployments. ISED regulates it through two complementary instruments:
RSS-199, which defines the equipment certification requirements (the focus of this consultation); and
SRSP-517, which defines the technical requirements for system deployment and contains the detailed band plan.
The previous revision, RSS-199 Issue 4, was published on July 20, 2023. It introduced paired and unpaired band plans, maximum power limits for non-AAS and AAS base stations, and total radiated power (TRP) requirements for unwanted emissions. Issue 5 builds on that framework rather than replacing it.
What Changes in RSS-199 Issue 5
According to the preface of the draft (Draft 1, dated September 22, 2026), Issue 5 introduces two main changes:
An alternative band plan for TDD equipment operating in the 2500–2690 MHz band; and
Editorial changes and clarifications, as appropriate.
New Unpaired-Only (TDD) Band Plan
The most significant change is the addition of an "unpaired only" band plan (Section 5.2.2). Under this option, the full 2500–2690 MHz band is divided into 38 unpaired blocks of 5 MHz each, labelled A1 through U2. Only equipment using time division duplexing (TDD) technology may use this band plan option.
The existing paired and unpaired band plan (Section 5.2.1) is retained, giving the standard two band plan options:
Band Plan Option | Structure | Duplexing | Status in Issue 5 |
Paired and unpaired (Sec. 5.2.1) | 7 paired blocks of 10+10 MHz (A–G uplink 2500–2570 MHz / A'–G' downlink 2620–2690 MHz) plus 2 unpaired blocks of 25 MHz (H: 2570–2595 MHz; I: 2595–2620 MHz) | FDD (paired) and TDD (unpaired centre gap) | Retained from Issue 4 |
Unpaired only (Sec. 5.2.2) | 38 unpaired blocks of 5 MHz (A1–U2) covering 2500–2690 MHz | TDD only | New in Issue 5 |
In both plans, frequency blocks may be aggregated to form a frequency block group. SRSP-517 remains the reference for the detailed band plan.
Technical Requirements in the Draft
The draft retains the core transmitter requirements of the standard. Manufacturers should review the following provisions carefully:
Requirement | Draft RSS-199 Issue 5 Provision |
Scope | Base station, fixed service and subscriber equipment in 2500–2690 MHz |
Modulation | Digital modulation only |
Frequency stability | Occupied bandwidth must stay within the operating block or block group across RSS-Gen temperature and voltage variations |
Mobile subscriber equipment | Max. 2 W e.i.r.p. per channel bandwidth |
Fixed subscriber equipment | Max. 2 W conducted power per channel bandwidth (all ports) and 40 W e.i.r.p. per channel bandwidth |
Non-AAS fixed service / base station | Max. 1640 W/MHz e.i.r.p. |
AAS fixed service / base station | Max. 43 dBm/MHz TRP (AAS with eight or fewer antenna elements may instead show compliance with the non-AAS e.i.r.p. limit) |
Peak-to-average power ratio (PAPR) | Must not exceed 13 dB for more than 0.1% of the time |
Unwanted emissions fixed service, base station, fixed subscriber | –13 dBm/(1% of OBW) within 1 MHz of the block edge; –13 dBm/MHz beyond 1 MHz |
Unwanted emissions mobile subscriber | –10 dBm/(2% of OBW) at 0–1 MHz; –10 dBm/MHz at 1–5 MHz; –13 dBm/MHz from 5 MHz to X; –25 dBm/MHz at or beyond X (X = 6 MHz or the occupied bandwidth, whichever is greater) |
Additional mobile subscriber limits | –13 dBm/MHz between 2490.5 and 2496 MHz; –25 dBm/MHz at or below 2490.5 MHz |
Test conditions | All manufacturer-declared channel bandwidths; multi-carrier equipment tested at maximum and minimum number of carriers; unwanted emissions measured at the lowest and highest channels |
Certification Impact Summary for RSS-199 Issue 5
Area | Impact |
Equipment category | Category I — certification remains mandatory |
Certification route | Technical Acceptance Certificate (TAC) from ISED's Certification and Engineering Bureau (CEB), or a certificate from a recognized Certification Body (CB) |
Licensing | Equipment requires a radio licence under subsection 4(1) of the Radiocommunication Act |
General requirements | Compliance with RSS-Gen remains required |
Band plan | New TDD-only option with 5 MHz granularity across the entire band |
Test scope | TDD products designed for the new block structure will need test coverage reflecting their declared channel bandwidths and operating frequency range |
Existing certificates | The draft does not state that previously certified equipment must be re-certified; ISED's final publication notice should be checked for any legacy equipment provisions |
Transition | Six months from publication, during which Issue 4 or Issue 5 applications are accepted |
After transition | Only Issue 5 applications accepted; equipment manufactured, imported, distributed, leased, offered for sale or sold in Canada must comply with Issue 5 |
What This Means for Manufacturers
For TDD equipment vendors, Issue 5 is primarily an opportunity. The new unpaired-only band plan allows TDD systems, such as 5G NR base stations and fixed wireless access equipment, to operate across the full 2500–2690 MHz range in flexible 5 MHz blocks, rather than being limited to the 2570–2620 MHz centre gap of the traditional FDD-oriented plan. This aligns Canada more closely with TDD-based deployment models used in other markets for the 2.5–2.6 GHz band.
For FDD equipment vendors, the paired band plan remains in place, so the practical impact is limited. However, the consultation should still be monitored, since editorial clarifications and the companion SRSP-517 Issue 3 revision could affect how deployment scenarios, coexistence and power limits are interpreted.
For all manufacturers of BRS equipment, three points stand out:
Certification planning: Once Issue 5 is published, the six-month transition period will be the only window to certify under Issue 4. Products in the pipeline should be scheduled accordingly.
Market placement: After the transition, the requirement applies not only to new certification applications but also to equipment manufactured, imported, distributed, leased, offered for sale or sold in Canada.
Documentation and test reports: Test plans and reports should clearly identify the band plan, block or block group, and channel bandwidths used, especially for TDD products designed around the new 5 MHz block structure.
For operators and system integrators, the review of SRSP-517 Issue 3 alongside RSS-199 Issue 5 signals that ISED is updating both the equipment and deployment frameworks for the band at the same time. Both documents should be reviewed together.
Timeline and Required Actions
Date / Milestone | Event | Required Action |
September 22, 2026 | Draft 1 of RSS-199 Issue 5 dated | Download and review the draft PDF |
September 25, 2026 | ISED opens public consultation on RSS-199 Issue 5 and SRSP-517 Issue 3 | Assess the impact on current and planned 2500–2690 MHz products |
October–November 2026 | Consultation period | Prepare clause-by-clause technical comments; coordinate with test labs and certification bodies |
December 4, 2026 | Comment deadline for RSS-199 Issue 5 | Submit comments via the RABC online form or by email to ISED |
To be confirmed | Final publication of RSS-199 Issue 5 on the ISED website | Standard enters into force on its publication date; update certification plans |
Publication + 6 months | End of transition period | Only Issue 5 applications accepted; all equipment placed on the Canadian market must comply with Issue 5 |
Recommended Action Checklist
Review the draft RSS-199 Issue 5 and the companion SRSP-517 Issue 3.
Map your product portfolio operating in 2500–2690 MHz by equipment type (base station, AAS/non-AAS, fixed service, fixed subscriber, mobile subscriber) and duplexing mode (FDD or TDD).
Evaluate the new TDD band plan for opportunities to support 5 MHz block configurations across the full band.
Submit comments by December 4, 2026, if any provision affects your equipment design, testing or deployment.
Plan certification timing so products can be certified before or during the six-month transition, as appropriate.
Engage your test lab and certification body early to align test plans with the Issue 5 requirements.
How to Submit Comments
Comments on the draft can be submitted:
Online through the WTO contact form on the RABC consultation page, which allows clause-by-clause comments; or
By email to ISED at consultationradiostandards-consultationnormesradio@ised-isde.gc.ca.
Comments must be received no later than December 4, 2026.
Conclusion
RSS-199 Issue 5 marks a targeted but meaningful update to Canada's certification framework for Broadband Radio Service equipment. By introducing a TDD-only band plan of 5 MHz blocks across the full 2500–2690 MHz band, ISED is opening the door to more flexible TDD deployments while preserving the existing paired structure for FDD systems. Manufacturers should use the consultation period to review the draft, submit feedback and prepare their certification roadmap ahead of the six-month transition.
