November 04, 2005 -- The Senate approved the DTV transition bill -- officially Digital Transition and Public Safety Act of 2005 -- by a close vote of 52 to 47. The bill was amended to earmark additional revenues from spectrum auctions. The Senate Commerce Committee bill would end current, analog television broadcasting April 7, 2009. After that date, every American would have to have a digital TV set, a set-top converter box, or a subscription to a cable or satellite service to obtain television reception. The bill instructs the FCC to 1) auction 60 megahertz of the radio frequencies to be reclaimed when broadcasters cease analog transmissions and 2) make another 24 megahertz of such spectrum available for public safety uses. Follow the bill's progress through Congress using Benton's Telecomunications Legislation Tracker.
