ISED's New TRC-49: Updated Service Fees for Radio & Telecom Equipment.

ISED issues New Telecommunications Regulation Circular No. 49 (TRC-49) providing information on New and updated Radio and Telecommunications Equipment Service Fees – Applies for all certification applications from September 1, 2023

On July 4, 2023, ISED published Notice No. SMSE-006-23 – Decision on Telecommunications and Radio Equipment Service Fees of the Certification and Engineering Bureau, which sets out Innovation, Science, and Economic Development Canada’s decisions regarding revisions to the fee framework related to the certification of radio equipment and the registration of telecommunications equipment.

The decision is the result of the ISED Consultation undertaken in notice no. SMSE-022-22.

The decision introduces new Equipment Registration fees that replace the Listing fee and affects all certification applications submitted to Certification Bodies from September 1st, 2023. Equipment registration fees are broken down into wireless equipment, wireline equipment, and wireless/wireline (DUAL) equipment. The new equipment registration fees detailed in Table 1 (under section 5) in issue 9 of TRC-49 replace the "Listing Fees" for radio equipment and the "Registration Fees" for terminal equipment, which are being repealed.

When New wireless or wirelines equipment is certified by a Certification Body (CB), the application must be submitted for ISED review and approval, and the equipment must be recorded in the REL for wireless equipment or the TAR for wireline equipment. The equipment registration fee of $750 CAD is required for review, approval, and recording of new single/family wireless equipment in the REL and/or for new single/family wireline equipment.  The registration fee also covers the development and maintenance costs of the ISED wireless and terminal attachment compliance programs.

For Permissive change/Multiple listing/Transfer certifications or registrations for wireless or wireline equipment certified by a Certification Body (CB), the application is also subject to ISED review and approval, and the equipment must be recorded in the REL. The equipment registration fee of $375 CAD is required for review, approval, and recording of the wireless equipment in the REL and/or telecom equipment in the TAR.

For Dual applications (products containing wireless & wireline components), the registration fee is also $750 CAD.  The fee is not charged twice when the product contains both wireless & wireline functions.

Summary of the fees applicable for Certification Body applications, effective September 1st, 2023:

Wireless registration fee:

• $750 CAD for New Single/Family Wireless Certification listing in SpectraWeb (NEW!)
• $375 CAD for Permissive change/Multiple listing/Transfer Radio Certification listing in SpectraWeb (NEW!)

Wireline registration fee:

• $750 CAD for New Single/Family Wireline Registration listing in SpectraWeb
• $375 CAD for Permissive change/Multiple listing/Transfer Wireline Registration listing in SpectraWeb (NEW!)

Wireless & Wireline Dual registration fee (for products containing wireless & wireline components):

• $750 CAD for New Single/Family Wireless & Wireline Dual Certification listing in SpectraWeb (the fee is not charged twice when the product contains both wireless & wireline functions).
• $375 CAD registration fee for Permissive change/Multiple listing/Transfer Radio & Telecom Dual Certification listing in SpectraWeb (NEW!)

In summary, new applications submitted by a TCB are charged $750 CAD (wireless, wireline, or Dual), whereas Permissive change, Multiple listings, and Transfer of certificate are charged $375 CAD (wireless, wireline, or Dual).  These fees replace the current "Listing Fees" for radio equipment and the "Registration Fees" for terminal equipment, which are being repealed.

Copies of this notice and of documents referred to herein are available here:

Notice No. SMSE-006-23 – Decision on Telecommunications and Radio Equipment Service Fees of the Certification and Engineering Bureau

Notice No. SMSE-005-23 – Fee Order for Telecommunications and Radio Apparatus

TRC-49 — Telecommunications and Radio Equipment Service Fees of the Certification and Engineering Bureau