Is DTV migration blocking broadband?

Greg O’Brien at CARTT wrote a tough commentary last week [no paywall required here] on the inevitable impending failure in meeting the August 31, 2011 deadline for ending analog TV over-the-air broadcasting. Last year, the CRTC relaxed the rules, only requiring that broadcasters in markets bigger than 300,000 people as well as the provincial and territorial capitals have to be digital by August 31st 2011.

The broadcasters are almost certainly going to miss that timetable as well.

The spectrum that will be freed up by the digital TV transition has characteristics that are especially valuable for mobile services, including broadband services. The 700 MHz band, which is mentioned in Industry Canada’s workplan for the current fiscal year, was sold in the US in 2008 for about $20B (the US cleared analog TV broadcasting a year ago).

According to Greg’s commentary, Industry Canada is saying that Heritage Minister Moore is prime for this file – responsibility for the Broadcast Act generally falls to that Ministry. But the re-purposing of the spectrum and the auction will be under Industry Canada. The CRTC adds a third set of hands in the national capital region to stir the pot.

If the spectrum availability isn’t uniform because of delays in broadcasters vacating the band, what will be the impact on the rollout of national services? Will this impact the level of interest from mobile service providers? Will Industry Canada wait for new foreign ownership rules to be in place before auctioning off what has been called “beachfront” spectrum because of its especially attractive characteristics?

Greg O’Brien is moderating the annual Regulatory Blockbuster at The 2010 Canadian Telecom Summit, on the morning of June 8. These issues, and more, will be certain to be part of the fireworks. The 2010 Canadian Telecom Summit opens in just 9 weeks.

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