| Subject: TV Translators and the DTV Transition |
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Date Posted: Tue, February 17 2004, 22:05:32 PST
TV Translators and the DTV Transition
http://www.fcc.gov/oet/faqs/dtv-tvtx.html
The Commission has received a number of inquiries from licensees and other parties representing the interests of TV Translator stations regarding the impact of the Commission’s digital television (DTV) transition policies on TV translator stations. This paper provides information on a number of important questions to assist TV translator licensees others in understanding how the DTV transition will affect TV translators and how to plan for and the continued operation these stations in the rapidly advancing digital age.
Question: What is the FCC’s policy with regard to TV translators and Low Power TV (LPTV) stations in the DTV transition?
In the Sixth Report and Order in the DTV proceeding, the Commission adopted a Table of Allotments for DTV service that provided a second channel for each existing full service to use for DTV service in making the transition from the existing analog (NTSC) TV technology to the new DTV technology. These second channels were provided to broadcasters on a temporary basis -- at the end of the DTV transition, which is currently scheduled for December 31, 2006, they must relinquish one of their two channels. In developing the DTV channels, the Commission maintained the secondary status of TV translators and LPTV stations. In order to provide all full service TV stations with a second channel, the Commission found it necessary to establish DTV allotments that will displace a number of low power stations, particularly in the larger urban market areas where the available spectrum is most congested.
The Commission also provided for recovery of a portion of the existing TV spectrum so that it can be reallocated to new uses. Specifically, the Commission provided for immediate recovery of channels 60-69 stations and for recovery of channels 52-59 at the end of the DTV transition. As required by Congress under the Balanced Budget Act of 1997, the Commission has completed the reallocation of channels 60-69. Existing analog stations, including TV translators and LPTV stations, and a few DTV stations will be allowed to operate on these channels during the DTV transition. At the end of the transition, all of analog broadcast TV stations will have to cease operation and the DTV stations on channels 52-69 will be relocated to new channels in the DTV core spectrum.
Question: How many TV translator and LPTV stations will be displaced?
Because TV translators are located primarily in rural and other similarly less congested areas, we expect that only a relatively low number, approximately 10 to 20 percent, of these stations will be affected by DTV stations. On the other hand, LPTV stations, which tend to be located in larger markets and more congested areas, will be affected to a greater extent. We estimate that about 35 to 45 percent of the LPTV stations will have to either change their operation or cease operation to protect DTV service.
Question: What steps has the FCC taken to reduce the impact on TV translators and LPTV stations?
The Commission understands the effect of its DTV decisions on low power television service and the unfortunate impact that these decisions will have for some of TV translator and LPTV stations. In this regard, it has sought to minimize this impact through a number of administrative and technical measures. First, the Commission has stated that low power stations will be permitted to operate until a displacing DTV station or a new primary service provider is operational. Low power stations will not have to take any actions to protect a DTV station until such time at the DTV station actually begins operation. The Commission will also allow low power stations displaced or affected by DTV stations to seek replacement channels in the same area without being subject to competing applications (displacement relief). Applications for replacement channels will be considered on a first-come, first-served basis, without waiting for the Commission to open a low power application window. Such applications may be submitted at any time during the transition process. The Commission afforded applications for displacement relief priority over applications for new low power stations and requests for modification of existing low power stations, including any such applications and requests that may be pending at the time the displacement relief application is filed.
In the technical area, the Commission relaxed the technical criteria for determining when low power stations cause interference. First, the Commission deleted the UHF taboo restrictions on the use of channels 7 channels below and 14 channels above the channels of other UHF stations in the low-power TV service. It also eliminated the requirement that low power stations consider the existing full service UHF taboo restrictions on channels +/- 2, 3, 4, or 5 removed from existing analog TV stations. In addition, the Commission allowed low power stations affected by DTV implementation to make use of terrain shielding, Longley-Rice terrain dependent propagation prediction methods, and appropriate interference abatement techniques to show that their stations will not cause interference to other stations. The Commission further stated that it will entertain requests to waive the low power TV protection standards where it can be demonstrated that proposed TV translator or LPTV stations would not cause any new interference to the reception of TV broadcast analog stations. The Commission also indicated that it will consider waiving the low power TV interference protection standards where the applicant obtains the written consent of the potentially affected NTSC or TV licensee or permittee to the grant of the waiver.
Question: How will TV translators and LPTV stations make the transition to DTV service?
The Commission has not yet adopted general rules for DTV operation by TV translators and LPTV stations. It has, however, indicated that it will consider requests by low power stations to operate DTV service on replacement channels on a case-by-case basis under its displacement relief policy prior to its adoption of such rules. We anticipate that in many cases TV translators will make the transition to DTV by simply changing from analog to DTV operation on their existing channels at some point in time. In other cases, new translators will be added to provide DTV service on new channels. The Commission has indicated that it will initiate a rule making proceeding to address issues relating to the general authorization of DTV service by low power stations in the near future.
Question: What will happen to TV translators and LPTV stations operating on channels 60-69?
TV translators and LPTV stations operating on channels 60-69 will be secondary to existing analog stations, DTV stations, and stations of any other primary services operating on those channels. Low power stations will be allowed to continue broadcasting on these channels up to the end of the DTV transition as long as they do not cause harmful interference to primary services. In this regard, we anticipate that TV translators and LPTV stations operating in rural areas will generally be able to continue broadcasting throughout the transition because demand for spectrum by new services, both public safety and commercial applications, is likely to be less in rural areas than in urban areas. In both rural and urban areas, some low power stations displaced by primary stations will be able to find replacement channels below channel 60 during the DTV transition, and many more replacement channels will be available in the core DTV spectrum at the end of that period, when analog stations stop transmitting. The Commission has indicated that it will consider whether there are any other steps that may be beneficial to TV translator and LPTV operations as it develops services for the commercial spectrum, i.e., channels 60-62 and 65-67.
Where to find additional information: Additional information on the above subjects is available on the FCC Internet Site, at www.fcc.gov, in the following documents: the Sixth Report and Order in MM Docket No. 87-268, FCC 97-115 (released April 21, 1997), the Memorandum Opinion and Order on Reconsideration of the Fifth Report and Order and the Sixth Report and Order in MM Docket No. 87-268, FCC 98-24 (released February 23, 1998), Additional Application Processing Guidelines for Digital Television (DTV), Public Notice released August 11, 1998, and the Report and Order in ET Docket No. 97-157, FCC 97-421 (released January 6, 1998). Information on how the DTV transition will affect TV translators is also available from the National Translator Association, Byron St. Clair, President, telephone: (303) 465-5742; and website: www.tvfmtranslators.com.
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