TV Antenna Viewers in Multiple Communities Affected As many as 81 TV stations in 36 communities across the country are scheduled to change frequencies by this Friday, March 13, the end of Phase 8 of the spectrum repack – with some having already transitioned in February and early March. Phase 8 is part of the 10-phase spectrum repack, which is scheduled to continue at least through this summer. Approximately 800 stations have already changed frequencies since September 2018 when the process began. As a result of the multi-city station transitions, if you use an antenna to access free, over-the-air television you will
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January/February TV Rescan Round Up
The spectrum repack continues with more than half of all TV stations in the United States changing frequencies to make room for expanded wireless services. So far, 792 stations have transitioned, including 57 in January and February. When a station transitions to a new frequency, viewers in that community must rescan their TVs to continue to receive free, over-the-air channels, including local weather and emergency alerts that provide lifesaving information. A TV rescan is relatively easy to do using your TV remote. If you are a cable or satellite subscriber you do not need to take action. Your service provider will
Continue ReadingWhy TV Rescans are Happening Across the Country
You may have heard about an upcoming TV rescan required for your community but still have questions. What is it all about, why is it happening and what do you need to do about it? In today’s blog, we break it down for you and unpack the spectrum repack. What is the spectrum repack and why is it happening? Several years ago, Congress authorized the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) – the agency that governs the public airwaves – to auction off broadcast TV frequencies (or airwaves) to make more channels available for wireless services. By law, as a result of the auction, the
Continue ReadingA TV Rescan is Happening in 19 States Before March 13
Is Your Community Included? As many as 81 TV stations in 19 states across the country will change frequencies between now and March 13 to make room for wireless services. If you’re one of the more than 72 million TV viewers who use an antenna to access free, over-the-air television, you will need to rescan your TV or converter box if stations in your community change frequencies. You can enter your zip code here to find out if and when your local stations are set to transition. Even better, you can sign up for text and email alerts so that you know the exact day
Continue ReadingEverything Old is New Again
Antennas Provide Free Local TV to Millions of Americans for More Than 70 Years “One of the Most Important Requirements for Good Television Reception is the Antenna” – This headline appeared in the April 1939 edition of Radio News, a monthly magazine for amateur radio enthusiasts that expanded to cover the budding television industry. It was true then, and it’s true now. If you’re one of the 72 million people in the U.S. who rely on an antenna to access free, over-the-air TV, then you know how important a good antenna is to ensuring you can watch your local news and
Continue ReadingDecember TV Rescan Round Up
More than half of all TV stations in the United States are moving to new frequencies throughout 2020, and if you use an antenna to access free, over-the-air television, you may need to rescan your TV to keep getting your local TV channels. These stations moved frequencies in December, so if you see your city and station and haven’t done so already, make a #PlanToRescan. It’s free and ensures you can continue watching your favorite shows. Keep in mind your city may have different stations moving at different times, so you may have to rescan more than once. Another round of
Continue ReadingAntenna TV Viewers: Here’s a New Year’s Resolution You Can Keep
It’s that time of year again when many of us make New Year’s resolutions, some of which we keep, most of which we don’t. Researchers say about 60 percent of us make New Year’s resolutions, but only 8 percent are successful in achieving them. Regardless of the success rate in keeping our 2020 resolutions, the mere act of going through a mental checklist for the new year is a good exercise in planning ahead. If you use an antenna to enjoy watching your local TV stations, here’s something to put on your resolution checklist that’s free and ensures you get to keep watching
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