Posted on 12/10/2012 10:49:32 AM PST by bigbob
The FCC is moving forward with a controversial plan to entice broadcasters to give up their airwaves so they can later be auctioned off to carriers who need more spectrum to deliver mobile broadband. FCC officials expect the auction in 2014. Chairman Julius Genachowski
The Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission plans to share his thinking around how the agency will conduct an auction that would take airwaves from TV broadcasters and make them available for mobile broadband. The plan to entice TV broadcasters who are currently using airwaves to give them up to the FCC, which then auctions those airwaves to carriers, has been controversial from the start.
But an FCC official speaking on background says the agency has come up with a plan or rather the outlines of a plan and will seek to approve it at the September open commission meeting. If approved, the public can comment on the proposal, and the agency will redefine its plan with the goal of writing up formal rules by the middle of 2013. It hopes to then hold the actual spectrum auction by 2014. This is an incredibly fast timeline for something so complex.
The FCC provided Genachowskis thoughts on the incentive auction proposal via an emailed statement:
In freeing up spectrum for wireless broadband, incentive auctions will drive faster speeds, greater capacity, and ubiquitous mobile coverage. These are essential ingredients for innovation and leadership in the 21st century economy where smartphones and tablets powered by 4G LTE and Wi-Fi networks are proliferating, and the mobile Internet becomes more important every day. Over the last few years, the U.S. has regained global leadership in mobile innovation and we must not let up now.
(Excerpt) Read more at gigaom.com ...
Basically the want to offer to buy up the licenses from broadcast (OTA or Over The Air) TV stations. In return for going off the air, or finding some alternative to OTA broadcasting, they'll get a nice check from you and me based on a reverse auction process. FCC hopes to clear out 120 mHz of spectrum this way, that they can turn around and auction off to broadband providers.
Some OTA stations may just say it's time to throw in the towel and go off the air. Others might partner with competitor stations to utilize their second DTV channel, and split the "incentive" payoff. I suppose some might consider going internet-cable only.
In any case, it's another example of Big Brother meddling in the private market, and who wants to bet this will all turn out great for you and I?
Ping.
satellite providers will benefit......
The end result of this will be another Obamaphone program to pay the cable bills of “low income” people.
If they must, they should start with Public Broadcasting, and PBS. Then, TBS.
This was in September. Still waiting for them. A lot of smoke here.
TBS is not OTA. Consequently it doesn't factor into the spectrum re-allotment proposal.
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