FCC to vote on ATSC 3.0 adoption Jonathan Easton
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Jonathan Easton
Written by Jonathan Easton 3 hours ago
The US’s Federal Communications Commission (FCC) will hold a vote on the adoption of ATSC 3.0, commissioner Brendan Carr has announced.
With a vote planned for the FCC’s June Open Meeting, the body promises that the new standard will present “a range of innovative offerings that can be delivered over the same, powerful broadcast television spectrum that blankets US communities today.”
Brendan Carr
The body added that the ruling – should it pass – would set broadcast internet services apart from legacy media regulations. It would do this by clarifying that the FCC’s broadcast television station ownership rules do not apply to leasing arrangements between broadcasters and third parties for the provision of broadcast internet services.
The FCC argues that this will give the market, rather than regulators, the ability to “determine the highest and best use of broadcast internet services” and that it would enable better innovation.
Announcing the plan at an event hosted yesterday by NAB and CTA, Carr said: “Broadcast Internet services are poised to offer a new and competitive broadband pipe. These services can leverage the power and coverage of broadcast television spectrum to deliver high-speed, 25 Mbps Internet services.
“These new Broadcast Internet offerings are part of a broader trend we’re seeing in communications. From innovative 5G offerings to high-capacity fixed services, providers from previously distinct sectors are competing like never before to offer high-speed Internet services through a mix of different technologies. ATSC 3.0 is the technology that will allow broadcasters to play an even greater role in this converged market for connectivity.”
Dennis Wharton, EVP, communications at the National Association of Broadcasters, noted that the body is “grateful for the Commission’s ongoing support for Nextgen TV,” and that “broadcasters are eager to leverage the ATSC 3.0 platform and the opportunities it affords to provide new and innovative services for consumers across the nation.”