GeoBroadcast Solutions Pushes FCC to Drop “Main Transmitter” Rule in Favor of Boosters

GeoBroadcast Services (GBS), creator of ZoneCasting and MaxxCasting technologies, is urging the FCC to scrap its long-standing “main transmitter” requirement for radio stations, as part of the Commission’s “Delete. Delete. Delete” rule review. GBS argues the rule is outdated, stemming from an era when large, high-powered towers were the only way to deliver a signal.

Under the proposal, broadcasters could replace a central main transmitter with a distributed transmission system (DTS) using FM boosters, technology GBS says can target dense population centers more effectively, improve coverage in difficult terrain, and enhance urban reception. The company points to KOAS-FM “Maxima 105.7” in Las Vegas as proof: its 2.5kW booster atop the Stratosphere Tower serves the market more effectively than the station’s remote, massive Arizona-based main transmitter.

GBS also highlights operational and environmental benefits, including reduced vulnerability to natural disasters, lower energy consumption, smaller insurance premiums, and decreased real estate costs, potentially saving broadcasters millions annually. Importantly, the proposal does not mandate change; stations could keep traditional infrastructure if desired. While industry adoption may be slow due to existing investments, GBS frames the move as a forward-thinking step toward efficiency, resiliency, and modernization in radio broadcasting.

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