DTV Transition May Be on Tap for Dec. FCC Agenda Meeting
An FCC source said while the Triennial Review Order’s final UNE rules appear a “virtual certainty” to get a vote at the Dec. meeting, the Commission has more “leeway” to delay the DTV transition. The source noted that the victory this week of President Bush means Chmn. Powell has more time to complete his agenda. “There’s obviously less urgency now,” the source said: “Powell doesn’t have to leave.”
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Staffers for several of the FCC comrs. told us this week Chmn. Powell’s office has made it clear in recent weeks he would like a Dec. vote on the DTV item. The staffers said it remains unclear whether the item will get pushed to a later meeting. Compared to the short period between the Oct. and Nov. meetings, the FCC has 5 weeks after the Nov. meeting to work with in completing the order. However, Thanksgiving and the need to complete action on air-to-ground communications will both be distractions. The FCC also hopes to issue recommendations to Congress this year on what to do with the 15% of consumers whose TV sets would no longer work after the DTV transition, sources said.
A public safety source said Fri. that public safety agencies would be pleased to see the item get a vote in Dec. Public safety is slated to get 24 MHz of spectrum in the 700 MHz band when the transition is complete. Legislation that cleared the Senate before the recess, the National Intelligence Reform Act of 2004 (S-2845), mandates a date certain of Dec. 31, 2007, for completing the transition with an eye on getting more spectrum to police, firefighters and other emergency workers.
A public safety source said agencies, which soon will start retuning their radios as a result of the 800 MHz rebanding, want to know when they'll get access to the 700 MHz channels. “You need to have a firm date so that you can do that process; otherwise it’s a moving target and nobody wants to spend the time and money,” the source said. “Certainty it is very important.”
Wireless carriers also covet the spectrum because of its attractive propagation characteristics. The FCC already has reallocated 30 MHz for auction in the upper band. “We're in favor of anything that gets the broadcasters off the spectrum as fast as possible,” a carrier source said. “We're not playing in the specifics, but we're certainly enthusiastic.”