INCENTIVE AUCTION TASK FORCE UPDATE 
August 9, 2013 
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REPACKING: THE PROCESS 
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Repacking - Process of reassigning broadcast TV channels to free up contiguous 
blocks of spectrum for mobile broadband use 
 
Key Components of the Repacking Process – Two key initial steps in the process 
are:  
• Calculating TV station coverage and interference characteristics (OET-69 and 
TVStudy); and 
• Using the OET-69 coverage and interference calculations with other data to 
analyze repacking constraints (July 22nd Repacking Data Public Notice) 
 
 
 
REPACKING: NEW SOFTWARE, SAME METHODOLOGY 
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Statutory Obligation  
“Commission shall make all reasonable efforts to preserve, as of [February 22, 2012], the coverage area 
and population served of each broadcast television licensee, as determined using the methodology 
described in OET Bulletin 69...” 
 
What is OET-69? 
• Longley-Rice methodology for evaluating TV service coverage and interference 
• First developed over 16 years ago (1997; updated 2004) 
What is TVStudy? 
• Modern software implementing the OET-69 methodology with improved datasets 
• Provides more accurate and efficient modeling and analysis, which is critical for a successful 
incentive auction 
  
Preserve “population served” 
• Updating census data to 2010 
o Population grew 9.7% (27 million) from 2000 to 
2010 
o Over 30% of population moved residences 
between 2005 & 2010 
 
• More precise geographic coordinates 
o More decimal places = more precise census block 
locations 
REPACKING: UPDATES TO ADHERE TO STATUTE 
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Preserve “coverage area” 
• More accurate terrain data 
o 3X more granular terrain elevation data 
 
• Actual antenna beam tilt 
o Default angle resulted in inaccurate calculation 
 
• Corrected calculation of depression angle 
o Using proper antenna height parameter 
 
• Universal cell/grid  
o Necessary for repacking -- Allows station-to-
station, “pairwise,” interference calculation 
REPACKING: DIFFERENT FROM THE DTV TRANSITION 
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DTV Gain/Loss Map TVStudy Interference Map 
Notice matching contour maps 
Coverage gained Service 
No Service 
Interference 
Coverage lost but 
still served by 
same network 
Coverage lost &  
no services 
The public notice released on July 22, 2013 was the first of several public notices on the 
repacking process.  The public notice includes: 
 
1. Updated TVStudy software 
2. Data about Canadian and Mexican television allotments, domestic TV stations, and other 
incumbents in the band 
3. Descriptions of how stations could be assigned or reassigned to particular channels 
 
The preliminary data released with the public notice are for illustrative purposes only.  Many 
of the assumptions relate to issues that will be decided by the Commission. 
REPACKING: DATA PUBLIC NOTICE 
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For each U.S. TV station, the Domain file provides a list of channels that the station may be 
assigned to in the incentive auction repacking process. 
 
In the following sample, Station #10001 may only be placed on channels 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 19, 20, 
21, 48, 49, 50, 51. A channel assignment algorithm could not place Station #10001 on any 
other channel. 
REPACKING: DOMAIN FILE 
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DOMAIN, 10001, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 19, 20, 21, 48, 49, 50, 51 
Sample does not reflect real station data. 
For each U.S. TV station, the Interference_Paired file provides a list of other stations that cannot be assigned the same 
channel or an adjacent channel if the station were placed in one of the three television bands. 
 
If after repacking  Station 1362 is placed in the UHF band (channels 14-51) then: 
Stations 1116, 1301, 285, 1356, 390, 588, 1981 and 383 cannot be placed on the same channel (co-channel);  
Stations 1116, 1301, 285, 1356, 1981 and 383 cannot be placed on the first adjacent channel above station 1362; 
Stations 1116, 1301, 285, 1356, 1981 and 383  cannot be placed on the first adjacent channel below station 1362. 
REPACKING: INTERFERENCE_PAIRED FILE 
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CO, 14, 51, 1362, 1116, 1301, 285, 1356, 390, 588, 1981, 383 
ADJ+1, 14, 51, 1362, 1116, 1301, 285, 1356, 1981, 383 
ADJ-1, 14, 51, 1362, 1116, 1301, 285, 1356, 1981, 383 
Sample – does not reflect real station data. 
• Host webinar on technical details of publicly released repacking resources 
 
• Release additional repacking information to the public 
NEXT STEPS: REPACKING 
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• Working directly with broadcast and cable industries on transition planning and 
reimbursement issues 
 
• Reviewing preliminary findings on cost models, timing, and logistics of 
transition planning 
 
• Beginning long term planning for a Fund Administrator 
TRANSITION AND REIMBURSEMENT PLANNING 
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• Release preliminary reimbursement cost guidelines for public comment 
 
• Host workshop in September on broadcaster transition and reimbursement 
processes 
NEXT STEPS: TRANSITION AND REIMBURSEMENT 
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INCENTIVE AUCTION TASK FORCE UPDATE 
August 9, 2013 
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