TV Technology 11-29-11
WASHINGTON: Rep. Greg Walden (R-Ore.) today introduced a spectrum bill he says will put around $15 billion in U.S. coffers. The Jumpstarting Opportunity with Broadband Spectrum Act of 2011 is said to be the culmination of five hearings and “extensive bipartisan negotiations” that left no one especially pleased.
“Following nearly a year of hearings, meetings, and negotiations, I am disappointed that we could not develop a bipartisan bill,” said Walden, chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Communications and Technology Subcommittee. “But for the sake of the economy and public safety, we need to take the best ideas, which are represented in the JOBS Act, and move forward with a subcommittee vote on Thursday. No party, special interest, or lobby gets everything they want in this legislation.”
The bill addresses three primary areas: Reallocating TV spectrum for wireless broadband, designating bandwidth for a public safety network, and relocating federal entities using the airwaves. Among its provisions, the JOBS Act authorizes the Federal Communications Commission to hold incentive auctions, whereby broadcasters who give up spectrum receive a portion of the winning bids. The Obama Administration’s National Broadband Plan seeks to reclaim 20 TV channels for a nationwide wireless network. All stations would then have to be repacked in the remaining 29 channels. (read more)
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