Broadcasters, Sprint Nextel Ask FCC for More Time in Spectrum Relocation Effort

Citing the impacts of weather, broadcaster bankruptcies, delays in the DTV transition and the general complexity of the project, broadcasters and Sprint Nextel have jointly asked the FCC for more time to complete the relocation of electronic-newsgathering spectrum from current channel assignments to new ones to make room for advanced wireless services. They want until Feb. 7, 2010. If granted, it would be the latest extension in a years-long effort by the government to allow new services to share the 2-gigahertz band with broadcasters, which use it to transmit news, sports and other programming from the field to the TV studio for editing. That relocation is possible because broadcasters will need less of the band when broadcasting in more spectrum-efficient digital. Last March the FCC agreed to extend the deadline for the move to March 5, 2009.