Incentive Auction Discussion

[harshness]

So are they going to conduct 3 auctions per day until everyone gives up?

They're scheduled out to June 28th at this point with rounds 49, 50 and 51.

 

[Trip]

They're rounds. Stations are offered a lower price in each round which they can accept or reject. If they reject that price, the previous price (which they did accept) will be paid to them if they can't be fit in the TV band. Otherwise, they're out of the auction and placed back in the TV band. There's 52 rounds total, which is based on how the price offered decreases with each round.

After the reverse auction ends, the total amount of money that is required to pay off the broadcasters will be announced and then the forward auction will begin. There has not been a public announcement of when those things will happen yet, though. If the forward auction fails to raise enough money to cover the reverse auction costs, then the TV band is made bigger, and the auction repeats itself with more places to put TV stations so fewer have to be bought and the cost of buying stations overall is lower.

- Trip

 

[harshness]

I appreciate the cogent explanation. Now I understand why there was so much documentation, training and practice sessions made available to auction participants.

 

[Trip]

http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/95857/spectrum-auction-magic-number-86-billion

- Trip

 

[harshness]

This auction business is nasty. That it may have to be rinsed and repeated is a daunting proposition.

 

[mdram]

is there a results list anyplace?

 

[FTA4PA]

Instead of repeating the auction they should admit what a stupid plan it was in the first place and scrap it but they won't!

 

[harshness]

is there a results list anyplace?

They've met their cost estimate and that's all they're going to say. The specifics are still under a non-disclosure order -- the only information of measurable value to date from FCC Public Reporting System that Trip linked to.

 

[larrykenney]

Here's another report on the Incentive Auction from "TVTechnology":
126 MHz cleared at $86 Billion
http://www.tvtechnology.com/news/0002/126-mhz-cleared-at-86-billion/278926

 

[Jw2016]

Lucky if the FCC has $5.00 to pay the broadcasters that sold their spectrum. Where is all the money the from stations FCC for violating rules so bad that stations were issued a NAL. From what I have read, the FCC rarely collects the fines they impose. Putting stations on a VHF-Lo channel is going be a a disaster.

 

[harshness]

Lucky if the FCC has $5.00 to pay the broadcasters that sold their spectrum.

The reverse auction is not a fine, penalty or profit-sharing scheme. It is a sales contract between the station owners and the FCC.

Prepare yourself for VHF-low as it is surely going to happen in all but the least crowded market areas to facilitate simulcast during the ATSC 3.0 transition.

 

[localclassictvfan]

What will the highest channel number be that tv stations will allowed to be on after this crap is over 31 or 37.

 

[HoTat2]

What will the highest channel number be that tv stations will allowed to be on after this crap is over 31 or 37.

Neither. ..

RF ch. 29 will be the highest allowed.

Sent from my SGH-M819N using Tapatalk

 

[harshness]

What will the highest channel number be that tv stations will allowed to be on after this crap is over 31 or 37.

Channel 37 is of the table as it is dedicated to radio astronomy.

126MHz = 21 channels going away.

There are currently 49 channels numbered from 2-51 less channel 37. The reverse auction buys of 21 leaving 28 channels numbered 2-29. The forward auction sells everything above 575MHz (the upper half of channel 31). Presumably channel 30 and the lower half of 31 are maintained as a guard band between TV and wireless.

My current take on the auction system is that for an auction round to be successful, the proceeds of the forward auction in that round must cover the reverse auction payout plus the cost of administering the round and any rounds that may have preceded it.

 

[localclassictvfan]

Thanks, gonna be a tight squeeze here in Lafayette but I believe we'll keep what we have

 

[reddice]

I hope ATSC 3.0 can handle VHF-Low better than 1.0 can?

 

[harshness]

I hope ATSC 3.0 can handle VHF-Low better than 1.0 can?

One would hope, but it doesn't appear that much of the research has been made publicly available at this time.

Philly, San Fran or Seattle look like really good places to test multipath properties but thus far they've been testing areas that aren't exactly brimming with geographical features.

Here's the rub: I'm guessing that they'll bring in the ATSC 3.0 stations at the higher frequencies where they will remain after the transition while the DTV stations will occupy the low end of the band as they'll go away after the transition.

 

[CubsWin]

Prepare yourself for VHF-low as it is surely going to happen in all but the least crowded market areas to facilitate simulcast during the ATSC 3.0 transition.

This is going to be great when everyone who has bought an antenna in the past 10 years suddenly can't get half their OTA channels anymore. It is difficult to even find an antenna built for anything but VHF-Hi and UHF.

 

[harshness]

This is going to be great when everyone who has bought an antenna in the past 10 years suddenly can't get half their OTA channels anymore. It is difficult to even find an antenna built for anything but VHF-Hi and UHF.

RCA offers the ANT30xx line of full-range antennas. Channel Master offers their Advantage and Master models. They're out there and you don't have to look any further than Amazon, Best Buy, Home Depot, Lowes or Solid Signal.

 

[localclassictvfan]

So basically if your RF Station number is 29 to 51 then they got to go to 28 or lower.....right

I'm sure not every channel in the market is going to go to vhf low when you have from 7-28, which give you a little chance depending on how many channels are in your market.