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WASHINGTON, D.C. - Among the many benefits offered by completing the transition to digital television would be a significant improvement in first responders' ability to communicate and coordinate in emergencies, according to a new Joint Economic Committee (JEC) study released today by Chairman Jim Saxton. The new study, The Transition to Digital Television: Setting a Hard Date, also examines how the transition would improve television programming and expand wireless technologies for broadband access and mobile applications.

The study reviews how allocating an additional 24 megahertz of additional spectrum would help first responders from different agencies communicate with one another, improving their ability to save lives and reduce property damage. However, for this part of the spectrum to become available for first responders, the transition to digital television first must be completed.

“For several years it has been well known that allocating more spectrum to public safety use is absolutely necessary to facilitate communication between different agencies during emergencies,” Saxton said. “For this reason alone, it is necessary for Congress to set a date certain for transition to digital TV.

“As the new study shows, this transition will also greatly benefit consumers by improving TV programming, expanding a variety of broadband and wireless services, and lowering costs. The transition costs for a relatively small slice of consumers will be minor, and most of these one-time costs will almost certainly be offset. The sooner we make the final transition, the faster a significant improvement in public safety can be attained,” Saxton concluded.

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