After months of delay, the transition to digital television (DTV) has arrived and those companies that purchased broadcasters' 700 MHz spectrum--namely AT&T and Verizon Wireless--are ready to begin work. The two carriers were the big bidders last year, spending a combined $15 billion to purchase spectrum surrendered by TV broadcasters, and both will use the airwaves to deploy LTE networks.

The original date for the transition was Feb. 17, but Congress scuppered that because of fears that not enough consumers were prepared for the switchover from analog to digital broadcasting. AT&T, and eventually Verizon, supported the delay, but both made it clear they did not want any further delay.

read more