Digital Television Distributed Transmission System Technologies

In this document, the Commission adopts rules for the use of distributed transmission system ("DTS") technologies in the digital television ("DTV") service. The rules adopted in this Report and Order will allow DTV station licensees and permittees to use DTS technologies where feasible in place of a single transmitter to provide service as authorized. We find that these rules will improve some DTV stations' ability to serve more of their viewers within their service areas. For example, we expect that DTS will be especially useful in mountainous areas where single transmitters have been unable to reach viewers in valleys or those blocked by elevated terrain. Furthermore, DTS may be a useful tool for stations to prevent some loss of service to existing analog viewers resulting from changes to the station's service area in the transition to digital service. These rules will apply to post-transition operations (i.e., operations after February 17, 2009). DTS proposals related to pre-transition operations will continue to be evaluated under the Commission's interim policy.