On December 10, 2020, the Commission released a Report and Order in its proceeding to
encourage the provision of new and innovative Broadcast Internet services enabled by ATSC 3.0 — the “Next Generation” broadcast television standard often referred to as Next Gen TV — that can complement the nation’s 5G wireless networks.
The rule revisions clarify and update the regulatory landscape in order to foster the efficient and robust use of broadcast spectrum capacity for the provision of Broadcast Internet services consistent with statutory directives.
The R&O revised section 73.624 of the Commission’s rules, and made other changes.
With a Public Notice released March 25, the Media Bureau announces that notice of the effective date for the rule changes adopted in the R&O was published in the Federal Register on February 23, 2021.
As such, the effective date is today.
The Order’s clarification of the fee structure pertaining to ancillary and supplementary services ensures that television broadcasters can easily partner with third parties to provide new services without the risk of having to pay the federal government excessive fees.
Recognizing the unique public service mission of noncommercial educational television stations, the Order also adopts a number of additional proposals designed to facilitate their provision of Broadcast Internet services.
Notably, the item allows NCE stations to offer nonprofit, noncommercial, educational Broadcast Internet services alongside their television programming as part of the primary use of their spectrum and cuts the fee on revenue from those services in half, from 5% to 2.5%.
— RBR+TVBR Washington Bureau
