The trade associations filed joint comments welcoming the commission’s efforts to promote the education of consumers about the DTV transition but cautioned the agency not to impose specific on-air education requirements.

The FCC's Media Bureau announced this week that beginning Jan. 5, 2009, applications for replacement digital translators will be accepted for filing.

Money from the incentive auctions for broadcasters, to be scheduled later in the year, will also contribute to FirstNet.

The NAB has offered enthusiastic support for the bill.

The FCC has set May 10 as the date for auctioning 800 MHz spectrum for air-ground communications. The FCC auction notice (DA-06-3) also outlined the rules for the auction, listed band-plan options and proposed an upfront payment amount of $100,000. The FCC proposed a minimum opening bid of $1.5 million for band plans

The FCC has named panelists and set a September 26 date for its DTV Consumer Education Workshop.

The FCC has set May 28 as the date for the final auction of spectrum in TV Channels 52-59. The channels are the portion of broadcasters' analog spectrum to be relinquished to the federal government as part of the plan to transition stations to digital. The May auction will cover frequencies for Channels 52, 53 and 56-

The commission wants consumers to be aware that analog sets will not receive over-the-air signals after Feb. 17, 2009.