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High-Tech Leaders Urge Congress to Finalize DTV Transition Now; Legislation to Free Spectrum for Wireless Broadband, Public Safety Endorsed by CEOs of Software, Telecom Companies

October 14, 2005 10:30 AM US Eastern Timezone

http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20051014005....

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 14, 2005--With Congressional action to mark up DTV legislation approaching rapidly, 31 CEOs and corporate presidents of leading U.S. high-tech companies are calling on the House and Senate Commerce Committees to enact a "hard date" now for the successful conclusion of the transition from analog to digital television.


Among the leaders signing the letter, which the High Tech DTV Coalition sent to every member of Congress, are: Alcatel North America President and CEO Hubert de Pesquidoux, Aloha Partners President and CEO Charles Townsend, AT&T Chairman and CEO David Dorman, Cisco Systems President and CEO John Chambers, Dell President and CEO Kevin Rollins, Intel Corporation Chairman Craig R. Barrett, Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates, QUALCOMM CEO Paul E. Jacobs, Texas Instruments President and CEO Richard K. Templeton, and T-Mobile USA President and CEO Robert Dotson.

"The completion of the DTV transition will free up spectrum that will provide tremendous opportunities to promote growth in the United States economy," the CEOs wrote. "We encourage you to pass legislation that would complete the transition at the earliest possible date, but in no event later than January 1, 2009."

The October 12, 2005 letter cited the estimated 1.2 million jobs that would result from extending broadband access to all Americans. The letter stressed the economic benefits of using the newly freed spectrum resulting from the transition to extend broadband Internet access and next-generation mobile services to all Americans. "New and innovative technologies that will help meet the goal of universal, affordable broadband access are already being developed and readied for early deployment in this spectrum," they said. The CEOs also noted the benefits to the country of releasing spectrum for public safety communications upgrades, as recommended by the 9/11 Commission.

"These CEOs, who are leading their companies in wireless innovation, underscore the need for Congress to quickly enact a hard date completing the DTV transition," said High Tech DTV Coalition Executive Director Janice Obuchowski. "We applaud the efforts of the House and Senate committee leadership to move rapidly toward legislation that will bring consumer and homeland security benefits to Americans and put this spectrum to its highest and best use."

The Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee has scheduled a mark-up next week of legislation to set a hard date for completing the DTV transition. Action is also pending in the House of Representatives, where Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Joe Barton (R-TX) is drafting hard-date legislation.