WASHINGTON—Happy rescan day to any antenna users whose local TV stations took part in phase six of the post-incentive spectrum repack. Starting today, those who use an antenna to access their TV programs will need to rescan their TVs to continue watching as stations move to their new channels.
Multiple stations in Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee are officially transitioning to their new digital frequency locations. Stations gave their viewers 30-day notices of the impending change, and many local stations and news outlets have been posting stories online all week to remind viewers.
The repack was conducted to make room for 5G and other mobile broadband services.
The FCC does provide resources on how to properly rescan televisions to ensure viewers keep access to local stations. They also offer an online service where viewers can enter their address and see if they are impacted by this current phase of the repack.
Phase six of the repack officially ends on Oct. 18. The entire repack process is expected to conclude in July 2020.
For more information on the repack, visit TV Technology's repack silo.
