Around the world, governments are pursuing policies to shift rights to radio frequency spectrum from legacy broadcasters to wireless carries. Among major questions raised by these policies is the future of free-to-air terrestrial television. In the US, Congress and the Federal Communications Commission are planning an auction to transfer control of up to 120 MHz to the carriers. At the same time, the world’s broadcasters, considered “dinosaurs” by some, are reinventing digital terrestrial broadcasting and doing so with the highest level of global cooperation in their history. Many new services are planned, including Ultra HDTV (4K), seamless integration with next-generation wireless networks, greater media access for people with disabilities, and advanced emergency alerting. This presentation touches Cold War alerting system in the U.S., wireless systems, and strategic potential for wireless and broadcasters to cooperate to bring a next-gen emergency alerting system to a 21st Century Mobile America.

1. Spectrum Wars, ATSC 3.0, and
the Future of Broadcasting
John M. Lawson, Principal
Convergence Services, Inc.

2. Goal for Session
Connect spectrum policy, next-generation
broadcast technology, and broadcaster business
models at a strategic level.

3. High Level, Not the Weeds

5. Federal Role Established Early
“There is involved, however, in all of
this regulation the need to establish
public right over the ether roads.”
“For some reason or other the area is
not always a circle as you know, and it
varies in different parts of the country
for the same power.”
- Commerce Secretary Herbert Hoover,
National Radio Conferences, 1922 & 1927

9. JVC ProVideo Executive Report, April 2011

11. Overview of ATSC 3.0

12. Deeper Dive: Broadcasting & Public Safety
• The legacy Emergency Alert System (EAS) is dated
and limited. Newer solutions still fall short.
• The role of broadcasters today in PS/EC is potentially
much more important than ever.
• Mobile DTV, M-EAS, ATSC 3.0, and the IP migration of
carriers create unique window for broadcasting.

13. Broadcasters and Civil Defense

14. Saber Rattling (at 57 Megatons)

15. Crisis!

17. Cold War Angst

24. IPAWS: Not This

25. Integrated Public Alert and Warning System

26. Mobile Emergency
Alert System
(M-EAS)
A “hardened” mass-alerting
system for reaching citizens
anytime, anywhere

27. Authorities said cell phone traffic was so heavy
that it hampered their ability to respond to
emergencies

29. Cellular Fragility

30. IP Migration of Telcos

31. Public Safety: Major Problem

32. Strategic Opportunity for Broadcasts
• Use carrot of Advanced EAS to create
additional bi-partisan support
• Build out unique Service to America
• Ensure broadcasting signals on mobile,
all other media devices
• Get past gate keepers for new revenue

33. ✓

34. IP Migration and Broadcasters
• Federal and state regulators, PS officials recognize the one-to-
many architecture of broadcasting provides a unique solution
to some all-IP shortcomings
• ATSC 3.0 enhances this opportunity with minimum
commitment of spectrum
• Creates pathway to ensure that broadcast signals can reach
future mobile phones

35. Spectrum Wars, ATSC 3.0, and
the Future of Broadcasting
John M. Lawson, Principal
Convergence Services, Inc.