Wireless 600MHz Incentive Auction Update (USA)

[TimMc]

Yeah, Tampa doesn't seem to have any rollouts either -- important to us cause T-Mob rents *our roof*.

Owel; our replacement wireless is in the building now, so...

Looks like Q1 2020 for the Tampa/St. Pete metro. https://howmobileworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/FIPS-Notification-by-county-102119.xlsx

 

[JimP0771]

You know what are small Non Profit theater groups that can not afford to purchase expensive wireless microphones in the new frequency spectrum's or for that matter expensive microphones of any sort gonna do. I guess the FCC just screwed us.

 

[dvsDave]

You know what are small Non Profit theater groups that can not afford to purchase expensive wireless microphones in the new frequency spectrum's or for that matter expensive microphones of any sort gonna do. I guess the FCC just screwed us.

When this was all announced back a couple of years ago, all the wireless manufacturers offered really generous trade-in's on gear that wouldn't be legal anymore. Yes, it still would have been an investment, but it would have stung a lot less.

Thankfully, after this last round of spectrum trade-ins, manufacturers started offering these rebates again, but a lot of them expire in June or July.

Sennheiser Rebates
Shure: Switch to Digital (Shure's trade-in program ended in 2018, but they have some nice promotions going)

Just to name a few. Check your existing gear to see if it qualifies for a rebate, then figure out what you want and then see if that manufacturer offers a rebate program, and compare the programs, some are more generous than others!

 

[TimMc]

You know what are small Non Profit theater groups that can not afford to purchase expensive wireless microphones in the new frequency spectrum's or for that matter expensive microphones of any sort gonna do. I guess the FCC just screwed us.

I'm sympathetic up to a point, but it's not like this was a 'double-knot spy' secret program, it took a total of about 5 years and the dirty deeds were done in broad daylight. And it isn't the FCC that came up with this, you can blame your elected Representatives and Senators, who passed laws mandating the FCC auction 10 year licenses for new users of the UHF TV bands and satisfy the Microsofts/Googles/Netflixes/Apples/Amazons demands for vast amounts of building-penetrating RF bandwidth and to put a jingle in Uncle Sam's pocket.

I get your anger (and I'm not happy with the FCC for reasons that have nothing to do with wireless mics) but it's misplaced. And late to the party.

 

[josh88]

You know what are small Non Profit theater groups that can not afford to purchase expensive wireless microphones in the new frequency spectrum's or for that matter expensive microphones of any sort gonna do. I guess the FCC just screwed us.

This has been in the works for years now and there was a long transition period. It didn't come out of nowhere. I mean yeah it sucks to have to replace gear (which is often why I recommend renting over owning when it comes to wireless) but this has been on the table for like five years.

 

[Jay Ashworth]

Interestingly, Tampa still doesn't appear to be on that list.

And they're on my roof, so I care more than I might.

And, just for anybody who cares, T-Mobile was on our roof last month doing this deployment. So East Tampa / Ybor City is now running 600 megahertz. I would assume that they did the entire Tampa Bay area or are in the process of doing it. I have pictures of the Hundred-Foot Stinger Crane parked in our back driveway, and I'll post them later.

 

[Jay Ashworth]

Or I won't, because the Post Image control in the editor window won't let me call Gallery on my Android phone to pick the photos.

Wait...