DTV delay now law, but confusion still persists over 700 MHz

President Obama may have signed DTV delay legislation late Wednesday, but the issue is far from settled. Many broadcasters are opting to make the cutover early, which could free up spectrum all over the country for 700 MHz license holders to deploy mobile broadband and TV services before the summer. That move has raised the ire of the Federal Communications Commission, which is forcing some broadcasters to keep transmitting a portion of their programming until the new deadline. The stations are scattered throughout the country, and at first glance the early cutoff would appear to be good news for the 700 MHz license holders targeting the spectrum for new mobile services. But the patchwork distribution of networks going off air does little good for companies planning nationwide rollouts. Qualcomm is trying to clear spectrum in four key markets—Boston, Houston, Miami and San Francisco—where broadcasters transmitting at Channel 55 or neighboring channels prevent it from launching its FLO TV mobile video service. Of the stations on those bands in those four markets, only one is making the cutover early.