Why did Congress mandate the DTV transition?
A benefit of the switch to all-digital broadcasting is that it will free up parts of the valuable broadcast spectrum for public safety communications (such as police and fire departments, etc.). In addition, DTV also provides the opportunity for improved picture and sound quality. Also, some of the spectrum will be auctioned to wireless companies for the provision of advanced commercial wireless services (such as wireless broadband). The government stands to raise billions of dollars through the auction of the analog spectrum. With the transition to digital, consumers will also benefit from a more efficient technology than the outdated analog system. For example, rather than being limited to providing one analog programming channel, a broadcaster will be able to provide a super sharp “High Definition” (HD) program or multiple “Standard Definition” (SD) digital programs simultaneously. Providing several simultaneous programs on one broadcast channel is called “multicasting.” This means
