Broadcasters plan to state their conditions for accepting legislation authorizing...

serves the public’s interest in preserving and enhancing present and future broadcast services,” Schurz Communications CEO Todd Schurz said in written testimony prepared for the hearing. “For an auction process to be truly voluntary, however, broadcasters must not be coerced into participating in an incentive auction, nor should they face penalties for not participating, such as reduced interference protection, relocation to inferior channel allotments, diminished service areas, or onerous taxes in the form of spectrum fees.” In separate written testimony, Titan Broadcast Management President Bert Ellis said repacking should also be voluntary. Broadcasters would be more willing if Congress mandated radio tuners in wireless devices, and provided money from spectrum auctions to convert TV broadcasters to OFDM [orthogonal frequency division multiplexing] technology, he said. “Give us some assets to further develop our business and we will repack and give up some of our spectrum and work with the FCC and the wireless industry to make the National Broadband Plan even more effective.” Wireless industry witnesses will urge Congress to immediately pass incentive auction legislation. Incentive auctions and repacking could free up 120 MHz of spectrum for wireless broadband, CTIA Vice President Chris Guttman-McCabe said in written testimony. Incentive auctions represent a quadruple win: For spectrum sellers, buyers, the U.S. Treasury and the American public, Qualcomm Vice President Dean Brenner said in separate testimony. The hearing is at noon in Room 2123, Rayburn House Office Building.