T-Mobile says it is offering to pay moving costs for low-power stations “that operate on a secondary basis and are unable to obtain a permanent channel in time to accommodate T-Mobile’s rapid deployment of broadband service in the 600 MHz band.”
T-Mobile To Help LPTVs Make Repack Moves
On the heels of news last month that T-Mobile would cover the costs for local public television low-power facilities that are required to relocate to new broadcasting frequencies following the government’s recent spectrum incentive auction, on Monday the company told the FCC that it will do the same for some commercial LPTV stations.
It said the offer would be made to LPTVs “that operate on a secondary basis and are unable to obtain a permanent channel in time to accommodate T-Mobile’s rapid deployment of broadband service in the 600 MHz band.”
T-Mobile said it is offering to pay “the reasonable costs associated for such stations to move from a temporary channel to a permanent channel. While these stations are required to vacate the 600 MHz band when the broadband provider is ready to initiate service, T-Mobile recognizes that some of these stations may need to move twice, and T-Mobile is willing to go beyond what is required and compensate these stations for the additional move. T-Mobile’s voluntary commitment will significantly ease the burden on these stations and help ensure that their service to the public is not disrupted.”
NAB spokesperson Dennis Wharton said in response that “NAB is gratified by the T-Mobile announcement, which recognizes the important role that low-power TV stations play in providing quality entertainment and lifeline news and information to millions of TV viewers.”
T-Mobile said that “this type of double-payment risk, while fully consistent with the Spectrum Act of 2012, has generated concern among some secondary licensees. T-Mobile has heard those concerns and wants to address them because even though the Spectrum Act of 2012 requires secondary licensees to pay their own relocation costs, T-Mobile appreciates that its rapid deployment may create an additional burden on these secondary operators if they need to relocate more than once.
“T-Mobile therefore will reimburse eligible secondary licensees 14 for the costs that they reasonably incur to comply with the permanent channel assignment they may receive under the Special Displacement Window to the extent those channel assignments differ from the channel assignment these licensees may build following displacement from the 600 MHz band due to T-Mobile’s rapid broadband deployment.”
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Comments (6)
Patrick Burns says:
July 17, 2017 at 5:19 pm
Lets hear a Yowsa to Mike Garvino , the man who is shaping our industry bit by bit !!!!!
Jim Church says:
July 18, 2017 at 8:15 am
from Mike Gravino, Director, LPTV Spectrum Coalition, regarding today’s filing by T- Mobile and their rapid 600 MHz clearings and the impacts on LPTV….
“Our Coalition applauds T-Mobile in doing the right thing in assisting displaced by the auction LPTV stations from having to incur the costs of moving twice in response to the T-Mobile rapid deployment of the spectrum they won in the auction. While not a panacea for all of the problems and inequalities of the auction and repack, this commitment by T-Mobile to assist some of the most vulnerable LPTV is most welcomed. Thanks Team Magenta!”
Meagan Zickuhr says:
July 18, 2017 at 10:18 am
How pathetic is this publication and Harry Jessell…. to not even go to the source – Mile Gravino and the LPTV Spectrum Rights Coalition to get a quote. Dennis Wharton had NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS. I agree to the first comment in giving Mr Gravino the True Credit Deserved! And if you do not want to be left out of the dark with LPTV Issues, since Mr Jessell refuses to report on them (or allows his staff like Phil Kurz to either) follow here – http://www.lptvcoalition.com
Ellen Samrock says:
July 18, 2017 at 3:03 pm
Of course, it’s in T-Mobile’s interests for LPTV stations to vacate ASAP. But it’s nice to see that they’re offering their own cash incentive to do so. And, yes, this was primarily Mike Gravino and the LPTV Coalition’s doing. So, a big kilowatt thanks to Mike for making it happen.
Ellen Samrock says:
July 18, 2017 at 3:37 pm
It should be noted that the offer ends in three years and that it only covers stations whose spectrum T-Mobile now controls.
Patrick Burns says:
July 18, 2017 at 3:14 pm
More like a thousand lights of power. Mike eats & breathes our cause, I am sure he has had enough pale pastry & rubber chicken at functions to last a lifetime !!!
He is a voracious reader as I have a hard time keeping up with his postings.
The FCC is a better place cause he has helped them correct things that they probably did not even notice or intend to happen.
He is truly a renaissance manager !!!
Yowsa 5 times !!!