RSS-193 Issue 2 draft: certification rules reach the 24 GHz and 39 GHz bands
ISED has published a draft of RSS-193, Issue 2 for public consultation, extending the certification standard for flexible use broadband equipment from the current 27.5–28.35 GHz band to the full 24.25–28.35 GHz and 37.6–40.0 GHz ranges. Comments are due through the Radio Advisory Board of Canada by September 21, 2026. Equipment under RSS-193 is Category I, meaning certification is mandatory, so if you manufacture outside Canada you will need a Canadian Representative for these products, same as any other certified radio apparatus.
What changed
The current standard, RSS-193 Issue 1, was published on July 11, 2025 and covers a single band: 27.5–28.35 GHz. The draft Issue 2 adds technical requirements for equipment operating in 24.25–27.5 GHz and 37.6–40.0 GHz, plus editorial clean-up. Together that brings the whole of the 24.25–28.35 GHz and 37.6–40.0 GHz ranges — the bands most 5G mmWave radios are built for — under one certification standard.
The draft keeps the structure manufacturers already know from Issue 1. Equipment remains Category I: it must be certified, either by a recognized certification body or by ISED's Certification and Engineering Bureau, before it can be marketed in Canada. The draft sets separate EIRP limits for base stations and fixed service equipment, for fixed subscriber equipment, and for mobile subscriber equipment, along with unwanted-emission limits at the block edges.
The draft also proposes the usual transition: for six months after publication, ISED would accept certification applications under either Issue 1 or Issue 2; after that, Issue 2 only.
What it means for manufacturers
If you make mmWave base stations, customer premises equipment, or mobile devices for the 24 GHz or 39 GHz ranges — bands you may already be shipping in the United States — Canada is building the certification path for them. Until Issue 2 is final, RSS-193 covers only 27.5–28.35 GHz; once it is final, the full ranges become certifiable under a published standard, and the six-month clock for moving new applications onto Issue 2 starts running.
The mechanics of certification do not change. Testing goes through an accredited lab, the application goes through a certification body, and an applicant with no address in Canada must name a Canadian Representative under RSP-100 before the certificate can issue. If your compliance team has run the FCC-to-ISED process for other radios, this will look familiar.
What to do
If the draft affects your product line, read it and comment — the consultation is open to anyone, and comments go through the RABC consultation page until September 21, 2026. Manufacturers planning Canadian launches of 24 GHz or 39 GHz equipment should time test campaigns against the final publication rather than the draft, and can put the administrative pieces in place ahead of the filing, including the Canadian Representative appointment, so the application is not waiting on paperwork.
Can I certify 24 GHz or 39 GHz flexible-use equipment in Canada today?
RSS-193 Issue 1, the current standard, covers only 27.5–28.35 GHz. The draft Issue 2 is what brings 24.25–27.5 GHz and 37.6–40.0 GHz into the standard, and it is not yet in force. Talk to your certification body about options for equipment outside the current band.
Does RSS-193 Issue 2 change the Canadian Representative requirement?
No. The requirement comes from RSP-100 and applies to any certification applicant whose address is outside Canada, whatever the standard. Equipment under RSS-193 is Category I, so certification is mandatory, and with it the representative for any applicant outside Canada.
When would Issue 2 take effect?
After the consultation closes on September 21, 2026, ISED reviews comments and publishes the final standard on its own schedule. The draft proposes a six-month transition from publication during which applications are accepted under either issue.