ACA Connects and NCTA have asked the FCC for a short (six-day) extension of the comment deadlines for how the FCC should compensate incumbent C-Band users for their move to make way for auctioning spectrum for 5G.
The deadline is June 16. They want it to be June 22.
Related: FCC Provides Guidance for C-Band Payment Clearinghouse
The FCC sought comment on a lump sum payment option.
The association's said that since satellite operator transition plans are not due to the FCC until June 12, the current June 16 deadline for comment on the lump sum payment is not enough time for them to review those plans and incorporate them into their comments.
They point out that it is tough to come up with an accurate sum for transitioning before they know how satellite operators are planning to transition.
Those satellite operators deliver network programming to cable operators and broadcasters, who also use the spectrum to send live events, like sports, back to the studio.
Ensuring that the lump sums are set at appropriate levels – i.e., are truly “based on the average, estimated costs of relocating...incumbent earth stations” – will help the entire transition to proceed more efficiently, which is especially critical now that the eligible space station operators have elected accelerated relocation," ACAC and NCTA told the commission.
