Qualcomm set to bring 40 MediaFLO markets online as possible DTV delay looms

Last week President-Elect Barack Obama’s staff proposed a deadline extension to give more time to the millions of Americans who don’t yet have digital TVs or digital converters necessary to receive transmissions when the analog airwaves go dark. Late Thursday, US Senator Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) introduced a bill that would extend the transition deadline by three months.

Other 700 MHz owners have weighed in the matter. Verizon Wireless said that a delay would interfere with its plans to roll out its first 4G long-term evolution networks later this year. Trade organization CTIA said it was concerned that any deadline extension would not only delay the launch of 4G services but undermine confidence in the spectrum auction systems that have raised billions for the federal government. AT&T, however, said it would support a DTV transition delay as long as three months. AT&T also plans an LTE launch, but the earliest it has said a network would be deployed is 2010. Verizon and particularly Qualcomm are on a much tighter schedule.

While other operators are speaking out about the impact of a transition delay, Qualcomm officials aren’t directly commenting on the matter. “MediaFLO USA continues to build out the network in anticipation of DTV transition,” MediaFLO USA President Gina Lombardi said in a statement. “MediaFLO USA is looking forward to providing consumers the best mobile TV experience in those markets that have yet to transition.”