Backed by leading broadcast groups, Sprint Nextel today formally asked the FCC for a 29-month extension to complete its analog-to-digital upgrade of broadcasters' ENG microwave operations.

The original deadline for the program was this Friday, Sept. 7.

The request for an extension is no surprise. Sprint Nextel told the FCC last March that the program had fallen way behind schedule and Sprint Nextel's Michael Degitz confirmed last week in a TVNEWSDAY interview that the request would be coming this week.

However, it is surprising that Sprint Nextel now believes it will need nearly two and a half years. In March, it indicated that an extra one or two years would do that job.

Joining Sprint Nextel in the filing were the NAB, the Association for Maximum Service Television and the Society of Broadcast Engineers.

Sprint Nextel agreed to cover the cost of upgrading broadcasters ENG microwave facilities to digital so the FCC could move ahead with a plan to reallocate some of broadcasters' ENG spectrum—technically, the Broadcast Auxiliary Service (BAS)—to Sprint Nextel and other wireless users.

Since the digital gear uses spectrum more efficiently, broadcaster would be able operate in the smaller BAS band without loss of service.

Every stage of the transition—from inventory, to competitive bidding, to contracting, to provisioning, to training, to programming, to installation and reconfiguration—has entailed challenges beyond the control of the broadcast industry and Sprint as they try to replace 25 years worth of equipment in about two-and-a-half years, the parties say in their extension request.

“Awarding an additional 29 months … to overcome the unanticipated obstacles and complexities they have faced will not only provide for the most expeditious relocation of the BAS licensees possible, but also ensure that viewers around the nation can continue to receive important local news, weather and sports reports from the field,” the filing says.

Sprint Nextel and the broadcasters say they have made significant progress.

They say they have spent the last two years working with  hundreds of companies, including BAS equipment vendors, integrators and contractors to develop template agreements, pre-stock inventory, stage systems integration prior to installation, and add staff to meet anticipated demand. 

As a result, the pace of the BAS transition has steadily improved, they say.

Nearly all of the nearly 1,000 BAS stations have completed inventories of their facilities and equipment and 59% have approved supply and pricing plans for new equipment. 

Since the last formal update in March, they say, finalized inventories increased by 21%, approved quote packages increased by 97% and signed relocation agreements jumped by 104%. 

The number of licensees submitting purchase orders, the number of purchase orders completely fulfilled, and the number of equipment installations have all doubled since the March update, they say.