QCommunications, an engineering project management and installation vendor specializing in The Spectrum Act (REPACK project), has released statistics that indicate the company is closing in on a milestone. According to Tony zumMallen, QComm president and CEO, as of February 12, 2020, 95% of its LPTV REPACK customers have been deemed eligible for reimbursement by the FCC.
“So many LPTV broadcasters are unaware or mis-informed about the application procedure required to determine their eligibility for reimbursement,” explained zumMallen. “At QComm, we not only assist with the entire REPACK process – from needs assessment to transmitter installation to coverage verification – we help broadcasters navigate the paper path and meet all the requirements for reimbursement. We’ve already helped process many millions of dollars and 95% of our LPTV clients have been deemed eligible. And one of the best parts is that our repack services are covered for reimbursement, so there is little risk to the broadcaster.”
The Spectrum Act, or REPACK as it is more familiarly known, was designed to re-align the use of broadcast airwaves to suit rapidly evolving consumer demands due to the emergence of divergent entertainment and communications platforms, such as the internet. The shift to new territory allocations and channel assignments has resulted in the need for stations to upgrade, change or redistribute transmission equipment. This causes significant expenditures that the FCC is relieving with the appropriation of reimbursement funds, available to broadcasters that comply with the FCC’s requirements. As part of its service offerings, QComm will assist the customer through the entire process, ensuring they meet eligibility guidelines to receive the maximum reimbursement, which could be 100%.
According to the FCC, there have been 925 applications submitted by LPTV stations for reimbursement as of February 7, of which 736 are eligible, 104 are not, and 85 are considered “not determined.”
“189 LPTV stations, or approximately 25% have either not received final determination for eligibility yet, or were initially denied” added zumMallen. “And though the window may be closing soon for that 25%, we want them to know that there may still be time and a way to help them become eligible, which would mean REPACK funds may then be available, which by my calculations may be much more than they realize.”
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