This has been in the works for that past few years. Eventually all of the UHF TV spectrum is going to cellular. Broadcast TV is dead. Everyone is just trying to figure out how to exit with money in their pocket. You are on the mark with regards to the FCC. It should be made part of the federal treasury. They have little or no interest in anything technical anymore. In my business that (technical standards, etc.) is all being handled by various industry consortiums.
Look for the same type of activities in
the Atlanta and Georgia region, if it hasn’t
already begun. Some of the local UHF stations around here really struggle to
make payrolls these days. The station managers could take the FCC money, split
it up between the owners, making them VERY rich……..and then simply
go dark.
Remember when the FCC actually spent time
focused on radio law, radio physics, spectrum interference management, etc. ??
Now they are in the spectrum brokering business to make money for the US
Treasury !