MUMBAI: The National Association of Broadcasters (Nab) in the US has rubbished a recent study funded by the Consumer Electronics Association estimating the market-value of broadcast television spectrum.

The study was filed with the Federal Communications Commission. While CEA commissioned the study, the group also told the federal agency that it "does not necessarily endorse" the results.
 
Nab executive VP Dennis Wharton says, "CEA’s study ignores the immeasurable public benefit of a vibrant free and local broadcasting system that is ubiquitous, reliable as a lifeline service in times of emergency, and flexible enough to include HDTV, diverse multicast programming and mobile DTV.”

CEA itself does not endorse its own commissioned study, reinforcing its isolation as primarily an academic exercise. Meanwhile, broadcasters and forward-thinking CEA member companies have embraced mobile DTV to enable delivery of live and local TV to cellphones, laptops and the back seats of cars. 
 
"Notably, television broadcasters just returned a third of our spectrum to government as part of our historic DTV transition; as the FCC’s process to recommend a National Broadband Plan moves forward, Nab believes it is imperative that policymakers explore spectrum efficiency choices that don’t limit consumer access to the full potential of digital broadcasting," says Wharton.

Nab also filed comments with the Federal Communications Commission late Friday concerning the agency’s request for information on spectrum management practices as they relate to the rollout of nationwide broadband.