Until Friday, March 6 was the date that codified an important regulatory compliance matter associated with the voluntary rollout of the new ATSC 3.0 broadcast television standard.
The FCC has adopted an Order putting a temporary stay on that previously planned sunset.
Originally, the FCC put a March 6, 2023 sunset date in place for broadcaster primary streams to comply with the ATSC A/322 standard.
This standard defines the wave forms that ATSC 3.0 signals may take.
In June 2022, the FCC issued a “Sunsets Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking” seeking comment on, among other things, the expiration of this rule, whether to retain the requirement and, if so, for how long.
That proceeding remains pending. As such, the FCC has good enough reason to stay its own motion.
“It is unclear whether any consumer receive equipment could display 3.0 signals that were noncompliant with A/322, meaning the viewing public could lose all 3.0 service during any period of noncompliance by broadcasters,” the FCC noted. “Furthermore, there is no information in the record indicating that any party will be harmed by the grant of an interim stay.”
