NCJ Number
171219
Journal
Police Chief Volume: 64 Issue: 5 Dated: (May 1997) Pages: 30,32
Date Published
1997
Length
2 pages
Annotation
For almost half a century, the nongovernment wireless spectrum in the United States has been affected by a decision by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to give more spectrum to the television industry than any other user.
Abstract
Technology at the time of the FCC decision appeared to require 6 MHz for a television station to operate, and stations using adjacent channel assignments could not operate in the same area. Because there had to be geographic space between adjacent VHF channels and even greater separations were established for UHF channels, the result was nonuse of much of the allocated spectrum. When technological advances by other spectrum claimants could no longer be successfully countered by television broadcasters, the FCC reallocated the little-used, top 14 UHF channels to allow the creation of cellular and specialized mobile radio industries. In recent years, the cable television industry has flourished and the concept of digital television (DTV) has become a subject of increasing public attention. The FCC has proposed the adoption of DTV assignment criteria to promote both near-term and long-term recovery of the underused television broadcast spectrum and to address urgent spectrum needs of land mobile services, particularly those of public safety agencies. The ability to obtain 25 additional 6 MHz channels under the FCC proposal will allow for a greater amount of spectrum to be made available for immediate allocation to public safety.