[Hidden-tech] Verizon vs. Comcast

dehahn at charter.net dehahn at charter.net
Mon Jan 28 14:41:06 EST 2008


---- "ussailis at shaysnet.com" <ussailis at shaysnet.com> wrote: 

> I believe that the FCC is requiring the cable companies to supply NTSC
> signals after the 2009 shut down. If someone has basic cable, and is
> planning to keep it, check on this.

I'm not aware of this. Even if they require it, the cable companies will fight it as they have invested billions of dollars recently in digital infrastructure and they want to get rid of their analog infrastructure ASAP.

> There was a ruling that by now all TV
> stations had to have gone to a digital format. I don't know if that is
> still true.

The FCC required all broadcast stations to be up and running in at least low power digital mode several years ago. The big broadcast companies like Sinclair used the myriad of exemptions, hardship declarations, and such to delay this as long as possible. The new FCC Commissioner and Congress had had about enough of this so they simply decided to sell off their operating frequencies and force them to convert in high power mode.

> And the plan
> is to sell the 700 MHz band frequencies. An estimated $20B haul (that's B
> not M....those older folks might drop the 'and').   

The first auction ends today. The spectrum will be sold in chunks.




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