TV Antenna Viewers in Multiple Communities Affected Phase 10 of the broadcast spectrum repack is coming to a close this Friday, July 3, with more than 70 stations across the country scheduled to change frequencies. As a result, viewers in the affected communities must rescan their TVs as soon as their stations have completed the transition to continue to get their local channels. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is requiring nearly 1,000 TV stations to change frequencies to make room for wireless services. This week’s end of Phase 10 marks the completion of the nationwide repack that began in September 2018;
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Following Conclusion of Spectrum Repack, TV Rescans Will Continue
More than 21 months after it began, the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) national broadcast spectrum repack will wrap up July 3, 2020, as planned. To see if stations in your area are planning to transition next week, you can enter your zip code here. However, the work will not end on July 3 for many TV stations that were required to change frequencies to make room for wireless services. Several TV stations must continue to operate on temporary facilities or at reduced power for a period of time until they complete the complicated transition process. So, what does that mean for you if a
Continue ReadingMay TV Rescan Round Up
The broadcast TV spectrum repack, which began in September 2018 and required nearly 1,000 TV stations in the United States to change frequencies to make room for wireless services, is currently in the final Phase 10 and scheduled to end on July 3, 2020. When a station transitions to a new frequency, viewers in that community must rescan their TVs to continue to receive the channel and the local weather, emergency alerts and other lifesaving information it provides for free. During May, a total of 14 stations in 12 communities transitioned, and if you live in any of the communities
Continue ReadingThe Phrase Nothing in Life is Free Doesn’t Have to Apply to TV
Your local television stations are critically important to every community, and we should salute their valuable contributions. Think where we would be without them. Not only do they deliver your favorite shows and entertainment, they also provide a lifeline during emergencies. Stations take seriously their responsibility to serve the public and are licensed by the federal government to use the airwaves for the greater good. As communities across the country continue to experience various levels of COVID-19 lockdown and lifting of quarantine restrictions, local TV stations are there to provide important information. Here’s the best part, except for the cost of an
Continue ReadingTV Rescan Alert May be Coming to Your Community
TV Antenna Viewers Should Make a #PlanToRescan Phase 10, the final phase, of the broadcast spectrum repack is scheduled to end one month from today on July 3, 2020. Have you made a #PlanToRescan? If you’re one of the millions of TV viewers in the U.S. who use an antenna to access free, over-the-air TV, you’ll need to rescan your TV if a station in your community changes frequencies between now and July 3. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is requiring nearly 1,000 TV stations across the country to change frequencies in order to make room for more wireless services.
Continue ReadingBack to Basics: Rescanning Your TV
Don’t Miss Getting all Your Channels While parts of the country have slowly begun opening back up, many Americans are still quarantining at home and continuing to consume their favorite TV programs and their local news. The COVID-19 pandemic has brought changes to almost every aspect of our lives, and that includes how we watch TV. It’s no wonder that people are exploring all that modern TV and technology have to offer, and that includes about a third of TV viewers using an antenna to access free, over-the-air TV. Whether you’ve been an antenna user for years or are just exploring
Continue ReadingResearch Shows More People are Turning to Free, Local TV
TV Rescans Required to Access Channel Research shows that an increasing number of people in the U.S. are using an antenna to access, free over-the-air (OTA) TV content. Depending on the source, anywhere from one in five to one in three TV viewers use an antenna to access free, local TV, either with additional paid streaming services, or without. According to Horowitz Research 34% of TV viewers access TV content using an antenna. Likewise, research from Parks Associates shows that the number of broadband households in the U.S. that use an antenna to watch local broadcast TV channels increased from 15% in 2018 to
Continue ReadingApril TV Rescan Round Up
Phase 9 of the broadcast TV spectrum repack, in which more than half of all TV stations in the United States are changing frequencies to make room for wireless services, ended Friday, May 1. The tenth and final phase launched May 2. In April, another 27 stations changed frequencies, bringing the total number of stations that have successfully transitioned to approximately 85 percent of the total 1,000 TV stations that must make the change. When a station transitions to a new frequency, viewers in that community must rescan their TVs to continue to receive the channel and the local weather,
Continue ReadingTV Rescans Happening Throughout the Country This Week
TV Antenna Viewers in Multiple Communities Affected Phase 9 of the broadcast spectrum repack is coming to a close with more than 40 TV stations across the country scheduled to change frequencies by this Friday, May 1. The number of stations transitioning in Phase 9 has been reduced by almost 50 percent due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as many delayed their transitions to avoid service interruptions during the crisis. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is requiring nearly 1,000 TV stations across the country to change frequencies to make room for more wireless services. As a result, viewers in the affected communities
Continue ReadingFinal Phases of Broadcast TV Spectrum Repack Affected by COVID-19
In yet another example of the coronavirus pandemic’s impact on our communities, numerous TV stations are delaying their scheduled frequency changes to ensure they remain on the air without interruption during this national crisis. Of the 88 TV stations that are scheduled to change frequencies in the coming months, more than 35 percent have been granted extensions. This will allow them to shift their rescan days to occur this summer. By law, approximately 1,000 TV stations must change frequencies to make room for wireless services, and so far, about 850 stations have transitioned. When a station transitions to a new
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