Fcc spectrum license term

Because the digital television DTV transmission system is more spectrally efficient than the analog system, less spectrum will be needed for broadcast television service after the transition to DTV on channels 2 - 51 is complete. The reclamation of television spectrum has been addressed in two proceedings: the Upper MHz Band Channels which comprises 60 megahertz, and the the Lower MHz Band Channels which comprises 48 megahertz.

This is primarily due to different statutory requirements applicable to the two bands and differing degrees of incumbency in the two bands.

While Congress did not specify the amount of spectrum to be reclaimed beyond the Upper MHz Band, the Commission determined that all broadcasters could operate with digital transmission systems in Channels after the transition. Pursuant to Section j 14 of the Communications Act, the FCC was required to assign spectrum recovered from broadcast television using competitive bidding. The statute further requires incumbent broadcasters to cease operation in the recovered spectrum by the end of unless the end of the transition is extended.

As provided in the statute, the FCC is required to extend the end of the transition at the request of individual broadcast licensees on a market-by-market basis if one or more of the four largest network stations or affiliates are not broadcasting in digital, digital-to-analog converter technology is not generally available, or 15 percent or more television households are not receiving a digital signal. During this transition period, incumbent broadcasters may continue to operate in the Lower MHz Band.

The FCC adopted rules for new licensees to protect incumbent broadcasters during this transition to digital broadcasting. New licensees may operate in the band prior to the end of the transition, provided they do not interfere with these existing broadcasters on Channels 52 to Depending on the license, there may be significant interference protection issues for new licensees seeking to initiate service in the Lower MHz Band.

In addition to the existing analog broadcasters, new licensees will also need to take into account the large number of digital broadcasters who will operate temporarily in the Lower MHz Band during the transition.

On average, there are slightly more than ten times the number of digital stations per channel on Channels as compared to Channels Thus, the degree of incumbency in the Lower MHz Band - consisting of both digital and analog broadcasters - is likely to make it far more difficult for new services to operate in this band, particularly in major metropolitan markets, prior to the end of the transition to digital television. A licensee on the Lower MHz Band is permitted to provide fixed, mobile, and broadcast services.

If the population within the license area is greater than ,, a licensee relying on point-to-point service must demonstrate that it has at least one link in operation and is providing service for each 67, population within the license area.

In the alternative, a licensee may make its buildout showing on the basis of geographic area coverage. The geographic area of the license shall be determined by the total land area of the county or counties covered by the license.

All equipment relied upon in the showing, whatever type of service or connection it provides, must be operational and providing service, either to customers or for internal use, as of the date of the filing. If a licensee in this service is also a Fixed-Satellite Service licensee and uses the spectrum covered under its UMFUS license in connection with a satellite earth station, it can demonstrate compliance with the requirements of this section by demonstrating that the earth station in question is in service, operational, and using the spectrum associated with the license.

This provision can only be used to demonstrate compliance for the county in which the earth station is located. Licensees may fulfill their performance requirement by showing that they meet their choice of any one of the above standards, or a combination thereof, but they may not combine population-based showings with geographic area-based showings.

Showings that rely on a combination of multiple types of service will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Licensees must make their showing by the end of their initial license terms in these bands — there is no interim benchmark. Failure to meet this requirement will result in automatic cancellation of the license. Bidding credit discounts will be available to those applicants that demonstrate that they are eligible small businesses or rural service providers and win one or more license at auction.

Jump to navigation. The services provided by AWS licensees are limited only by the Fixed and Mobile allocations of the spectrum designated for AWS and the services rules that the Commission adopts for the bands to address interference matters. The Commission has designated several different AWS spectrum bands over the years.

The following contains a general description of the individual AWS bands that primarily summarizes actions the Commission has taken to establish rules to license these bands. The descriptions below contain links to FCC releases with more detailed information about each band, including historical information.

These spectrum bands are known as AWS These spectrum bands are collectively known as AWS