OTA Television Changes Along The Border
Yesterday I received a notice from WPBS-TV, the PBS station based in Watertown NY that broadcasts to Eastern Ontario, that they will be changing over-the-air channels on July 29th, 2019. And apparently several American television stations have already begun transitioning to new channels to free up frequencies for wireless services.
People who use television antennas in southwestern Ontario area have already needed to rescan to find WMYD broadcasts from Detroit on June 1st, 2019 and a new wave of channel changes are expected in July, this transition eventually ending in the summer of 2020.
If you’re getting these stations from cable, satellite or online, you will not see any changes. But if you use a television antenna to get any American station you will need to pay attention to notices by your favourite stations, that will be posted on their official sites and social media feeds for information related to this transition.
Many channels will also start airing notices featuring known personalities from television programs like The Doctors, Inside Edition, Entertainment Tonight, Dr.Phil, Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy a month or so before their transition date. And monthly roundups of these transitions are also posted on the official TV Answers Blog, with occasional posts regarding individual channels appearing on TV Answer’s Facebook page.
I’m a bit too deep into Ontario to get American television stations via my antenna but thought people along the border would like to know.
No New Postal Import Duty Allowance ?
The duty free allowances for cross-border shoppers will rise on June 1st, 2012. But the duty and tax exemptions for postal importations remain intact.
The 24 hour duty allowance will rise from $50 to $200 whilst the 48 hour duty allowance will rise from $400 to $800.
On postal importations, the duty and tax exemptions remain at $20, $60 on gifts.
4G Deals Near The Border ?
AllthingsD reported that the Canadian and American government has struck a deal to share the 700 MHz band along the border. This may result in 4G wireless broadband service deals for communities along the border after the implementation of digital television in Canada on September 1st.