Federal Communications Commission FCC 08-256
STATEMENT OF 
COMMISSIONER DEBORAH TAYLOR TATE
Re: Digital Television Distributed System Technologies; MB Docket No. 05-312
This Order brings us one step closer to the nationwide DTV Transition on February 17, 
2009.  As I have traveled across America for DTV Town Hall events, consumers, as well as 
broadcasters, continue to voice concerns about the loss of television signals they may experience 
as a result of the digital transition.  In Wilmington, NC, we saw this first-hand.  I am likewise 
concerned about consumers in certain areas of my home state of Tennessee.  The Order adopted 
today authorizes the use of a technology that provides optimum signal coverage.  Digital 
Transmission System technologies (DTS) allow broadcast stations to use a series of 
synchronized transmitters located throughout the service area, rather than just a single transmitter 
at the broadcast facility.  To prevent interference, when considering applications from stations 
seeking to use DTS, the Commission will apply the same interference standard used for single 
transmitter stations.  As we move toward February 17, we will no doubt encounter new and 
challenging technical and policy questions.  I hope that, as in this case, the Commission can 
efficiently and effectively develop solutions to such questions, so that we can achieve our goal of 
a seamless Transition.