Since 2015, the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) has been informing the FCC that a shortage of qualified tower crews and other concerns will prevent many broadcasters from meeting the ambitious repack window. They were correct, according to Curtis LeGeyt, NAB Executive V.P. of Government Relations, who testified during a House Communications and Technology hearing yesterday. He said, “early warning signs …
NAB attacks Microsoft’s slick rebooting of failed white spaces rural broadband plan
Before the salad forks were lifted at yesterday’s media luncheon in Washington where Microsoft President Brad Smith was readying his Rural Airband Initiative that would use white space spectrum, the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) attacked Microsoft’s proposal as “the height of arrogance.” In a press statement, NAB Executive Vice President of Communications Dennis Wharton said, “It’s the height of …
White House says POTUS picks FCC’s top counsel to be Republican Commissioner
As anticipated, the White House has announced that President Donald Trump has nominated Brendan Carr to fill the open Republican seat on the Federal Communications Commission. Carr, a former telecom lawyer, joined the Commission in 2012 as then Commissioner Ajit Pai’s wireless public safety and international legal advisor and was then appointed in January to general counsel by Chairman Pai. …
NAB’s Sam Matheny appointed to Wireless Safety Alliance’s Board of Governors
The National Wireless Safety Alliance (NWSA) announced today that Sam Matheny, Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer at the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), has joined the organization’s Board of Governors. The organization made the announcement from NWSA stakeholder meetings that are being held in Dallas, Texas this week. The NWSA is a national non-profit assessment and certification organization …
FCC chief says his agency is allowing a flexible repacking deadline
At yesterday’s House Communications Subcommittee’s Federal Communications Commission oversight hearing, FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler, along with his fellow commissioners, said that the FCC would not force broadcasters off the air who missed the 39-month repacking deadline for moving to new channels. Wheeler said that the deadline was not a “drop off the edge of the table” situation, since there was …
Lack of tower crews and antenna manufacturers cited as reasons to revisit repacking deadline
The National Association of Broadcasters has asked the Federal Communications Commission to reconsider the 39-month repacking window following next year’s TV spectrum incentive auction. The trade group commissioned a study from Digital Tech Consulting. The study concluded that the Commission’s three-month window for filing for construction permits falls well short of the actual time needed to submit and process the …
