Here is a great article published on May 15, 2014 on the upcoming 2015 (U.S.) Reverse and Forward auction which will reclaim 600 MHz - 20 UHF tv channels for wireless communications.  The 'voluntary' auction should be completed by 2018.

[Link: lexology.com]

     Stations broadcasting above channel 31 will be moved to a lower channel frequency if they do not elect to relinquish their licence.

     Buffalo, Rochester, and Erie stations affected are:

WNLO-32, WGRZ-33, WKBW-38, WIVB-39, WNED-43, WROC-45, WGBT-46, WNYO-49,  WQLN-54.



 

The FCC released today its 484 page order on the upcoming 2015 Reverse & Forward Auction.
 
 

Just so I won't have to read the whole thing, are you saying they're going to reclaim 20 TV channels in the range of 600 MHz, or are you saying that they're going to reclaim 600 MHz of spectrum by getting rid of 20 UHF channels (which sounds wrong)?


I wonder how this will affect markets such as Los Angeles and New York, which have very few open channels!

An antennaweb.org search for TV stations that can be received just south of downtown Los Angeles shows


There are simply not 34 channels below channel 31, especially as, to my knowledge, Low Band VHF is no longer being used.

There are some class A tv stations in Canada and the U.S. which broadcast in the low VHF range (2-6), such as KREX-TV (Nexstar) channel 2 in Grand Junction, Colorado.

[Link: rabbitears.info]
 

Forgot to post in March -- in Los Angeles, KLCS and KJLA, tested a broadcast signal which allowed them to share one (6 MHz) frequency but allowed them to identify themselves as two separate stations.

[Link: news.doddleme.com]

 

August 18, 2014[Link: arstechnica.com]

No one saw this one coming?

Here's an article written in March above the practical problems, such as cost, facing broadcasters with repacking.

[Link: commlawblog.com]

To check the 'REPACK CHECKER' through Trip Ericson's Rabbit Ears, just click on the magnifying glass icon in the sixth column.


[Link: rabbitears.info]

It is the independent stations that will be relinquishing their licenses back to the FCC for cash. Here is an article from the Wall Street Journal on WADL-38 in Mount Clemens, Michigan owner Kevin Adell, considering such a move.  This would be bad news for viewers in the Windsor area with antennas.   WADL is an independent station with three sub-stations including Antenna TV and the Word Network.

[Link: online.wsj.com]
 

The latest on the planned 2015 U.S. Reverse Auction:

   The FCC and its supporters begin their briefs before the U.S. Court Of Appelas (Columbia District) Dec 09 & 19.  The NAB briefs are due January 13.
Sinclair (the broadcast group which is, if you do your own research as I have, becoming the sub-FOX network) has joined the opposition claiming, for one, that the 39 month time frame for frequency transition is not long enough.[Link: broadcastingcable.com]

As a result of legal challanges., the 2015 Reverse Auction pushed to (early) 2016.  The FCC will begin to accept bids in late 2015.


[Link: pcworld.com]

 

Latest on the 2016 Reverse Auction as of November 10, 2014.

[Link: thehill.com]

WADL-DT onwer expects to get $170 million in the reverse auction for his Mount Clemens, MI channel 38 (RF 39) independent station.

[Link: crainsdetroit.com]

WMGM-40 (RF 36) loses its NBC affiliation at the end of the year; speculation that the new owner LocusPoint Networks will participate in 2016 Reverse auction.
Note:  LocusPoint is the new owner of WBNF-CA Grand Island which bought the station from TCT Network.  It could mean that they could sell this station's license back to the FCC in the reverse auction, opening up this frequency for a Buffalo station currenly broadcasting above RF 31 (WGRZ, WKBW, WIVB, WNLO, WNYO, WNED).  Would conflict with CHCH-Hamilton. 

[Link: broadcastingcable.com]



 

[Link: fiercewireless.com]
 

~~CBS' Leslie Moonves says selling TV spectrum is a possibility

[Link: latimes.com]

 

Next Step:  Comments requested by FCC after voting 3 (Democrats) to 2 (Republicans) in favour on new auction rules.  Stations that elect to switch to low VHF frequencies (2 to 6) will receive a greater incentive than high VHF channels (7 to 13).

Comments are due by Jan. 30, 2015, with reply comments due by Feb. 27. Next up is a Procedures Public Notice that will set final auction details and provide explanations and instructions to potential participating stations.

[Link: current.org]