GATINEAU – On March 26th of this year, a joint workshop of the Railway Association of Canada (RAC) and Canadian Electricity Association (CEA) of Canada took place in Ottawa where the group adopted three joint resolution statements:
- Rail and electrical utilities will collaborate in pursuing jointly the access to a Mobile Network Code number as Critical Infrastructure Operator Industries.
- A working group will be formed ensuring that there is cross-industry awareness and support to each other’s submissions to CRTC.
- CIOs will look forward to partnering with the Canadian Government in creating a wireless infrastructure, enabling Canada as a world leader in intelligent critical infrastructure in the domains of Transportation, Utilities and beyond.
This group’s requirements are a little different than other operators and they are proposing in this proceeding a status that would allow them to use new technologies to perform new duties.
“The current mobile wireless service regulation considers two types of providers: facilities-based mobile network operators (MNO) and now with this notice of consultation, mobile virtual network operators (MVNO). Either category of provider is subscriber-based and aims the same markets: consumers and business commercial clients,” the RAC application explains.
These network operators (of a different kind) need a Private Virtual Network Operator (PVNO) and a shared Radio Access Network status to manage train control applications and Integrity monitoring applications on the railway side and maintain secure and dependable tele-protection systems, monitor and control electric infrastructure, and enable the safe and efficient dispatch of their field workforce for routine and recovery operations for the CEA.
Both associations agree the old way of doing things, i.e. narrowband licensed frequencies, with limited capacity but capable of fulfilling the reliability, resiliency and availability requirements of the applications that depend on them, are fast becoming obsolete.
These association represent operators of critical infrastructure that carry a lot of weight both economically and politically and we can expect governments to step in for them, too. We can also expect comments about pole attachment rates in Ontario and other provinces.
It's interesting to note that CN and CP have also registered as interested parties in this proceeding.
