*Markey, Blumenthal Push FCC, MVPDs On Set-Tops*
*Seek Input from MSOs, Ask to Speed CableCARD Successor *
*11/20/2014 1:30 PM Eastern **
**
**By: John Eggerton**
**Multichannel News*
http://www.multichannel.com/markey-blumenthal-push-fcc-mvpds-set-tops/385740
Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) may have decided not to block the STELAR Act
satellite reauthorization bill over its sunset of the cable set-top
integration ban, but that does not mean either he or Sen. Richard
Blumenthal (D-Conn.), both opponents of eliminating the ban, have given
up the fight for a competitive retail set-top market.
Even as Sen. Harry Reid was trying to fast-track approval of the
must-pass bill Thursday (Nov. 20), Markey and Blumenthal were sending
letters to the FCC and to the top 10 MVPDs.
The letter to FCC chairman Tom Wheeller called on the FCC to use its
authority "to ensure that consumers have more choices in set top boxes
than merely leasing their boxes from their cable company." The STELAR
bill does direct the FCC to start looking for a successor to the
CableCARD hardware solution for separating the surfing and security
functions of boxes (an effort to promote a retail market that did not
pan out). But the Senators put an exclamation on that point and looked
to light a fire under the effort.
They want the FCC to "immediately" convene the working group that STELAR
mandate and "quickly" begin a rulemaking to create a simpler, cheaper,
more energy efficient and more consumer-friendly alternative that will
provide consumers real choice.
“Set-top boxes have the potential to enable millions of Americans to
access an enormous amount of content in innovative, new, and less costly
ways,” they wrote to Wheeler. “Without strong FCC action, consumers may
be left with no choice but to rent set top boxes from their cable
providers in perpetuity, which is akin to the days when consumers had no
choice but to rent their rotary dial telephone from the telephone company.”
The letters to the MVPDs sought their views on the state of the set-top
marketplace and information on the three C's: how many customers, what
were the costs, and what were the choices in boxes.
“We believe the need to increase rather than limit consumer choices
remains as vital as ever,” write the Senators in the letters to the
companies. “Just as consumers can select their mobile phone from an
increasing array of models regardless of carrier, consumers today should
also be able to choose from a large selection of smart set top box
devices.”
Getting the letter: Comcast, DirecTV, Dish Network, Time Warner Cable,
Charter Communications, AT&T U-Verse, Verizon FiOS Video, Cox
Communications, Cablevision Systems and Bright House Networks.
- See more at:
http://www.multichannel.com/markey-blumenthal-push-fcc-mvpds-set-tops/385740#sthash.Nsh4UxBj.dpuf
Markey, Blumenthal Push FCC, MVPDs On Set-Tops
Seek Input from MSOs, Ask to Speed CableCARD Successor 11/20/2014 1:30
PM Eastern
<http://www.multichannel.com/users/jeggerton>
*By: John Eggerton <http://www.multichannel.com/users/jeggerton> *
<https://twitter.com/eggerton>
<http://twitter.com/share>
Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) may have decided not to block the STELAR Act
satellite reauthorization bill over its sunset of the cable set-top
integration ban, but that does not mean either he or Sen. Richard
Blumenthal (D-Conn.), both opponents of eliminating the ban, have given
up the fight for a competitive retail set-top market.
Even as Sen. Harry Reid was trying to fast-track approval of the
must-pass bill Thursday (Nov. 20), Markey and Blumenthal were sending
letters to the FCC and to the top 10 MVPDs.
The letter to FCC chairman Tom Wheeller
<http://www.markey.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/11-20-14_FCC_STB.pdf> called
on the FCC to use its authority "to ensure that consumers have more
choices in set top boxes than merely leasing their boxes from their
cable company." The STELAR bill does direct the FCC to start looking for
a successor to the CableCARD hardware solution for separating the
surfing and security functions of boxes (an effort to promote a retail
market that did not pan out). But the Senators put an exclamation on
that point and looked to light a fire under the effort.
They want the FCC to "immediately" convene the working group that STELAR
mandate and "quickly" begin a rulemaking to create a simpler, cheaper,
more energy efficient and more consumer-friendly alternative that will
provide consumers real choice.
“Set-top boxes have the potential to enable millions of Americans to
access an enormous amount of content in innovative, new, and less costly
ways,” they wrote to Wheeler. “Without strong FCC action, consumers may
be left with no choice but to rent set top boxes from their cable
providers in perpetuity, which is akin to the days when consumers had no
choice but to rent their rotary dial telephone from the telephone company.”
The letters to the MVPDs sought their views on the state of the set-top
marketplace and information on the three C's: how many customers, what
were the costs, and what were the choices in boxes.
“We believe the need to increase rather than limit consumer choices
remains as vital as ever,” write the Senators in the letters to the
companies. “Just as consumers can select their mobile phone from an
increasing array of models regardless of carrier, consumers today should
also be able to choose from a large selection of smart set top box devices.”
Getting the letter: Comcast, DirecTV, Dish Network, Time Warner Cable,
Charter Communications, AT&T U-Verse, Verizon FiOS Video, Cox
Communications, Cablevision Systems and Bright House Networks.
- See more at:
http://www.multichannel.com/markey-blumenthal-push-fcc-mvpds-set-tops/385740#sthash.Nsh4UxBj.dpuf
Markey, Blumenthal Push FCC, MVPDs On Set-Tops
Seek Input from MSOs, Ask to Speed CableCARD Successor 11/20/2014 1:30
PM Eastern
<http://www.multichannel.com/users/jeggerton>
*By: John Eggerton <http://www.multichannel.com/users/jeggerton> *
<https://twitter.com/eggerton>
<http://twitter.com/share>
Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) may have decided not to block the STELAR Act
satellite reauthorization bill over its sunset of the cable set-top
integration ban, but that does not mean either he or Sen. Richard
Blumenthal (D-Conn.), both opponents of eliminating the ban, have given
up the fight for a competitive retail set-top market.
Even as Sen. Harry Reid was trying to fast-track approval of the
must-pass bill Thursday (Nov. 20), Markey and Blumenthal were sending
letters to the FCC and to the top 10 MVPDs.
The letter to FCC chairman Tom Wheeller
<http://www.markey.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/11-20-14_FCC_STB.pdf> called
on the FCC to use its authority "to ensure that consumers have more
choices in set top boxes than merely leasing their boxes from their
cable company." The STELAR bill does direct the FCC to start looking for
a successor to the CableCARD hardware solution for separating the
surfing and security functions of boxes (an effort to promote a retail
market that did not pan out). But the Senators put an exclamation on
that point and looked to light a fire under the effort.
They want the FCC to "immediately" convene the working group that STELAR
mandate and "quickly" begin a rulemaking to create a simpler, cheaper,
more energy efficient and more consumer-friendly alternative that will
provide consumers real choice.
“Set-top boxes have the potential to enable millions of Americans to
access an enormous amount of content in innovative, new, and less costly
ways,” they wrote to Wheeler. “Without strong FCC action, consumers may
be left with no choice but to rent set top boxes from their cable
providers in perpetuity, which is akin to the days when consumers had no
choice but to rent their rotary dial telephone from the telephone company.”
The letters to the MVPDs sought their views on the state of the set-top
marketplace and information on the three C's: how many customers, what
were the costs, and what were the choices in boxes.
“We believe the need to increase rather than limit consumer choices
remains as vital as ever,” write the Senators in the letters to the
companies. “Just as consumers can select their mobile phone from an
increasing array of models regardless of carrier, consumers today should
also be able to choose from a large selection of smart set top box devices.”
Getting the letter: Comcast, DirecTV, Dish Network, Time Warner Cable,
Charter Communications, AT&T U-Verse, Verizon FiOS Video, Cox
Communications, Cablevision Systems and Bright House Networks.
- See more at:
http://www.multichannel.com/markey-blumenthal-push-fcc-mvpds-set-tops/385740#sthash.Nsh4UxBj.dpuf
Markey, Blumenthal Push FCC, MVPDs On Set-Tops
Seek Input from MSOs, Ask to Speed CableCARD Successor 11/20/2014 1:30
PM Eastern
<http://www.multichannel.com/users/jeggerton>
*By: John Eggerton <http://www.multichannel.com/users/jeggerton> *
<https://twitter.com/eggerton>
<http://twitter.com/share>
Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) may have decided not to block the STELAR Act
satellite reauthorization bill over its sunset of the cable set-top
integration ban, but that does not mean either he or Sen. Richard
Blumenthal (D-Conn.), both opponents of eliminating the ban, have given
up the fight for a competitive retail set-top market.
Even as Sen. Harry Reid was trying to fast-track approval of the
must-pass bill Thursday (Nov. 20), Markey and Blumenthal were sending
letters to the FCC and to the top 10 MVPDs.
The letter to FCC chairman Tom Wheeller
<http://www.markey.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/11-20-14_FCC_STB.pdf> called
on the FCC to use its authority "to ensure that consumers have more
choices in set top boxes than merely leasing their boxes from their
cable company." The STELAR bill does direct the FCC to start looking for
a successor to the CableCARD hardware solution for separating the
surfing and security functions of boxes (an effort to promote a retail
market that did not pan out). But the Senators put an exclamation on
that point and looked to light a fire under the effort.
They want the FCC to "immediately" convene the working group that STELAR
mandate and "quickly" begin a rulemaking to create a simpler, cheaper,
more energy efficient and more consumer-friendly alternative that will
provide consumers real choice.
“Set-top boxes have the potential to enable millions of Americans to
access an enormous amount of content in innovative, new, and less costly
ways,” they wrote to Wheeler. “Without strong FCC action, consumers may
be left with no choice but to rent set top boxes from their cable
providers in perpetuity, which is akin to the days when consumers had no
choice but to rent their rotary dial telephone from the telephone company.”
The letters to the MVPDs sought their views on the state of the set-top
marketplace and information on the three C's: how many customers, what
were the costs, and what were the choices in boxes.
“We believe the need to increase rather than limit consumer choices
remains as vital as ever,” write the Senators in the letters to the
companies. “Just as consumers can select their mobile phone from an
increasing array of models regardless of carrier, consumers today should
also be able to choose from a large selection of smart set top box devices.”
Getting the letter: Comcast, DirecTV, Dish Network, Time Warner Cable,
Charter Communications, AT&T U-Verse, Verizon FiOS Video, Cox
Communications, Cablevision Systems and Bright House Networks.
- See more at:
http://www.multichannel.com/markey-blumenthal-push-fcc-mvpds-set-tops/385740#sthash.Nsh4UxBj.dpuf
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