The FCC’s Incentive Auction Task Force presented additional...
The FCC’s Incentive Auction Task Force presented additional details on channel repacking software, a key part of the upcoming auction, during a webinar Thursday. The discussion was highly technical. The webinar built on data already released by the FCC (http://fcc.us/14HM2Td),…
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though industry officials tell us there’s widespread confusion and many questions at this point from both carriers and broadcasters. The FCC’s Office of Engineering and Technology Monday released an updated version of the TVStudy software proposed to be used for checking interference during the incentive auction (http://fcc.us/16sHm6U). The revised version allows studies of potential interference between U.S. stations and stations in Canada and Mexico. “Once we have the pair-wise output files from TVStudy ... we can use that information, along with data about other incumbents in the band to create a set of constraint files that can be used for the repacking process of the incentive auction,” said Brett Tarnutzer, assistant chief of the FCC Wireless Bureau. “It allows us to assess the feasibility of assigning channels to stations that need them in a manner that doesn’t violate the technical restraints represented by the constraint files.” The “assumption” going into the auction is the FCC won’t require any broadcaster to change its antenna pattern, said Robert Weller, chief of OET’s Technical Analysis Branch. “In fact, we're obligated by statute to preserve the coverage area and population that existed as [of] Feb. 22, 2012. ... It’s certainly possible after the auction for a station to propose some different facility.” The officials got a question via email about the status of negotiations with Canada. “We're continuing to work with Canada,” Tarnutzer said. “Certainly we'll announce any developments in that area when it’s time.” The FCC plans to put the entire presentation on its website within the next few days. More webinars on the incentive auction are expected, Weller said. “TVStudy software is already available, with the most recent version released earlier this week,” an FCC official said in response to an e-mail. “The July 22 [public notice] referenced making additional information about repacking available, but did not provide any concrete dates or specify exactly what would be made available.”