NAB Tries To Get Ball Rolling On International Coordination Plan To Advance Incentive Auction Process
NAB proposed ways to help the FCC address coordination with Mexico and Canada in order to successfully repack stations near those borders as a result of the broadcast incentive auctions. A new agreement “is needed simply to permit mobile broadband operations in the 600 MHz band,” NAB said in its proposal. The five-point proposal is designed “to ultimately provide the FCC with a greater level of repacking flexibility in a reasonable timeframe,” it said.
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NAB recommends the FCC identify the number of non-operational allotments that are currently protected by Canada, Mexico and the U.S., it said. Then the commission can propose to Canada and Mexico to use those allotments “to find new channels that would be pre-approved and pre-coordinated to accommodate repacked U.S. stations in the border areas."
NAB offered to help the commission with detailed technical and repacking analyses “to determine the breadth and scope of the border challenge and its potential impact on spectrum recovery,” it said. The studies would establish baseline band plans to determine and maximize the amount of spectrum “that can be recovered while still protecting existing Canadian and Mexican TV operations,” NAB said. The potential impact of Canadian and Mexican TV broadcast operations on U.S. future mobile broadband operations also should be studied, it said: It’s essential so that the commission “can make public prior to the forward auction any remaining encumbrances on particular blocks of spectrum."
CTIA said it plans to work with NAB and the commission to figure out a repacking solution. “We believe that the FCC is appropriately focused on international issues and look forward to working with them and NAB on a FCC plan to repack broadcasters that will maximize the amount of spectrum available for wireless broadband while protecting broadcasters who choose not to participate in the auction,” said Chris Guttman-McCabe, CTIA regulatory affairs vice president.
The FCC “needs to form a task force ASAP to handle the international coordination with Mexico and Canada,” said Julie Kearney, CEA regulatory affairs vice president.
NAB also recommended development of the technical sharing criteria between new broadband operations and existing TV stations, and that the FCC engage with Canada and Mexico to figure out a long-term 600 MHz band plan across the borders. “Any delay in this critical element of pre-auction planning will also delay the auction, limit new available spectrum for wireless broadband and diminish over-the-air television service for viewers near the border.” The association said figuring out the international coordination and other aspects will delay the start of the auction after 2014 (CD Jan 28 p1).