REALITY RANT


PAI SUGGESTS THE UNTHINKABLE, OR IS IT?

"...it is critical that we not rush the process. If we can get everything done in time to start the auction as scheduled on March 29, that would be great. But March 29 wasn't etched onto a tablet, Biblical or electronic. If we are not 100% confident that the software will perform flawlessly as we make our way to the end of March, we must have the courage to postpone the auction rather than charging ahead and courting disaster. We have seen what happens when the federal government rushes ahead with flawed IT systems. Indeed, Chairman Wheeler himself acknowledged in December 2013 that we want to avoid a software debacle of the kind the country witnessed during Obamacare's rollout."  
11/5/15 - Commissioner Ajit Pai at the 4G Americas technology symposium.


COALITION COMMENTARY
We agree with the Commissioner, in that, the auction should not proceed unless all of the technical issues are cleared.  Our Class A members with opening bids surely want the auction to stay on track.  We also suggest that all of the legal issues will need to be cleared, and that pesky Vacant Channel weirdness will take months in the Court, so they should drop it all, and revisit how to provide adequate spectrum for unlicensed after the auction. (We have a plan!)

While the FCC is at it, they should provide the data to show where the heck those "naturally occurring white spaces" will be.  There are over 7500 licensed LPTV and TV translator facilities and new construction permits, all of which normally have a higher priority than unlicensed, and they all need to find a new home first.  After that has happened unlicensed, and TV white space, should be allocated additional spectrum. 

Don't forget, unlicensed is already being given a lot of spectrum in each market.  Enough for what MicroGoo wants?  No, and since they are not willing to pay the $18 billion it will take for the 3 channels in each market, then they need to wait.  If they and the FCC push the issue, they are just pushing it into the Courts.  

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COALITION COMMENTARY
The same situation as Chicago exists in NYC, with the city itself owning an auction eligible full power.  In NYC, the opening bid price for selling is $770 million!  What NYC needs to do is to sell in the auction (forget moving to the V), and then lease or buy one of the LPTV stations.  While it remains to be seen just what the final band plan and available channels in NYC will be, LPTV coverage is quite good for the city itself.  When 3.0 comes out, and SFN's are authorized, a 15KW LPTV station will look the same as the full power.


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IF YOU ARE A LICENSEE OR PERMITTEE YOU NEED TO CHIP IN AND SUPPORT OUR RESEARCH AND ADVOCACY

Mike Gravino,  Director
LPTV Spectrum Rights Coalition
202-604-0747
lptvcoalition@gmail.com