The FCC has released a new price list for the post-incentive auction TV and MVPD equipment for which it will potentially foot the bill, using the $1.75 billion relocation fund established by Congress.
The FCC wants comment on the changes, which include "several" increases in baseline costs, some new categories of covered expenses, and the excision of other categories or items that have been "discontinued [the 2 & 1/4 inch foam dielectric flexible transmission line, for example] or will likely not be required due to technological advancements."
The FCC has made it easy to see what it plans to delete by leaving those items, but with strike-throughs, in the document, as well as displaying both the old and new prices for handy comparisons.
Widelity created the initial list for the FCC in 2013 as part of a report released the following year. Widelity has now updated that list with current prices for equipment and services.
They are meant to be a reference, rather than an exhaustive list of every potential expense in every situation, though the FCC is confident it is "relatively comprehensive."
The FCC says it wants comments by Nov. 14 and reply comments by Nov. 29.
After the FCC considers the new comments, says the Media Bureau in a public notice announcing the new catalog of expenses, it will adopt the updated list, make it available as a stand-alone document on the website for consultation by reimbursement-eligible entities—any stations not winning bidders in the spectrum auction who must cover their own costs, if any—incorporate it into the reimbursement form and finally resubmit it to the Office of Management and Budget for approval under the Paperwork Reduction Act.
