Rural phone providers with ties to cable and satellite TV operators should alert customers to the DTV transition, House Commerce Oversight Subcommittee Chmn. Stupak (D-Mich.) said Tues. Each time conflict arises over retransmitting Detroit Lions football games, his phone “lights up,” he said: “Just as there’s a First Amendment right to free speech, and a 2nd Amendment right to bear arms, there is a ‘1-1/2’ amendment that says ‘Don’t take away my TV.'” DTV transition education hasn’t gone well, he said: “We have not done a good job of telling Americans that they will lose their TV.” Broadcasters must vacate spectrum used for analog TV by Feb. 2009. On a related track, at its April 25 meeting the FCC is expected to consider how to use that spectrum, of which 24 MHz has been allocated to public safety. The rest will go up for auction, but rules for that auction and use of that commercial spectrum are in flux. “If the spectrum auctions are handled properly, you will really benefit,” said Stupak, urging some spectrum be sold in chunks. “It is not fair to let the smaller communications companies compete with AT&T and Verizon,” he said, speaking for his rural constituents: “We need our own niche.”
NTIA should be ready to ask Congress or the White House to supply more money for the DTV converter box program if it becomes apparent that the $1.5 million mandated isn’t enough, Democrats and Republicans agreed Thurs. at an House Telecom Subcommittee oversight hearing. NTIA Dir. John Kneuer said he expects the money to be sufficient, but the program NTIA has set up provides for compilation of “real-time” data that he will share with Congress so “we can collectively make a decision.”
A trust fund to finance educational and public broadcasting from spectrum auction proceeds could start as a pilot program due to budget limitations, said Anne Murphy, exec. dir. of Digital Promise, now lobbying Congress for the trust. Digital Promise was started by former FCC Chmn. Newton Minow and former PBS Pres. Lawrence Grossman to get Congress to create the Digital Opportunity Investment Trust (DOIT) for schools, libraries, museums and public broadcasters.
That the partisan divide is as wide as ever over whether there’s enough money to supply DTV coupons to all who want them was evident at this week’s House Telecom Subcommittee hearing on the DTV transition (CD March 29 p1). But for now, Democrats who say NTIA’s coupon program is vastly underfunded seem content to maintain close oversight over the process as they monitor coupon requests, converter box availability and consumer outreach.
Comr. McDowell said Thurs. he has made no decision on a Skype petition asking that Carterfone rules apply to wireless. McDowell, addressing the Content Abundance in a Multiple World conference at Catholic U., said today’s timetable gives small and rural carriers time to prepare for the 700 MHz auction. He urged that the FCC “create incentives” for the private sector to cut the cost of effective safety communications.
FCC designated entity (DE)rules guarantee minority investors will avoid spectrum auctions, said Mosaic Partners, a new minority investors group. A filing by the group, which last week began meeting with agency officials, came as the FCC contemplates rules for the 700 MHZ auction, which could begin as early as summer.
The FCC could start the 700 MHz auction as early as Aug., Chmn. Martin said Wed. That’s earlier than most potential bidders expected. Verizon and other major wireless carriers want an early start. Small carriers generally want one as late as possible. DTV legislation approved by Congress last year requires that the auction start by Jan. 28, 2008.
House Commerce Committee Chief Counsel Howard Waltzman resigned to become a partner with Mayer, Brown, Rowe & Maw, departing Chmn. Barton (R-Tex.) announced Wed. Waltzman, an architect of the House telecom bill (HR-5252), worked for the committee for 5 years. He helped write several communications laws dealing with spectrum auctions and the digital transition and worked on oversight of the FCC and NTIA.
The ITU radiocommunication arm got short shrift at the ITU Plenipotentiary Conference, which focused more than previous conferences on “non-radiocommunication issues,” like bridging the digital divide, top U.S. officials said Tues. Reflecting on the ITU meeting at a Society of Satellite Professionals International lunch, ITU Radio Regulations board member James Carroll told satellite officials to “keep an eye on” changes at the ITU -- especially given the regulatory body’s budget challenges.
E. LANSING, Mich. -- The once-sharp distinctions between telecom and media are blurring as digital telecom devices and services develop into a delivery vehicle for radio, movies, TV channels and games, FCC Comr. Tate told a Michigan State U. audience Tues. She said every day sees some new development in wireless and Internet video, in technology or market concepts, that blurs the line a bit more.