WASHINGTON, D.C. — If only a House Subcommittee on Communications and Technology hearing on Capitol Hill could be so efficient.
The branch of the Energy & Commerce Committee, which oversees the Federal Communications Commission, held a midday teleconference program with key Congressional leaders chatting with FCC Chairman Ajit Pai.
The topics greatly focused on the COVID-19 telehealth program, and broadband access. The call came 24 hours after a Republican Commissioner offered details on a FCC plan to advance “broadcast internet” services.
The forum featured House E&C Chairman Frank Pallone Jr. (D-N.J.), Communications and Technology Subcommittee Chairman Mike Doyle (D-Pa.) and Ranking Member Bob Latta (R-Ohio), talking up consumer protection, broadband and spectrum issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Pai noted that his priority across his tenure as Chairman as been to close the digital divide, and the novel coronavirus has made this more important than ever.
Indeed, those on the teleconference can agree: Doyle’s opening statement was inexplicably cut off due to an unknown technical glitch. And, on a related note, WPTV-5 in West Palm Beach’s 5pm Monday newscast was marred by poor connectivity to the home of co-anchor Shannon Cake, as a fierce thunderstorm impacted the local power grid and broadband speeds.
“Allocation of our nation’s airwaves” to high-speed broadband access was on the agenda for the teleconference, but little was discussed on that topic, with more focus instead put on the FCC-administered COVID-19 telehealth program that became part of the CARES Act. This, Pai noted twice, funded 82 health care providers in 30 states.
Perhaps Brendan Carr, the Republican Commissioner, said all that needed to be said during a Monday Zoom call hosted by the NAB and Consumer Technology Association focused on the future of ATSC 3.0.
While the subject was first shared by Chairman Pai in a blog post highlighting the June Open Meeting agenda, Carr went into detail on the FCC’s plan to vote on a proposal he’s authored to promote the build out of “Broadcast Internet” services.
These services are comprised of a range of offerings that can be delivered over the broadcast television spectrum, and is one of the key reasons why some companies banked on LPTVs and Class A TV stations taking part in the transition to NEXTGEN TV.
In addition to a clearer picture and amplified sound, ATSC 3.0 allows for the delivery of data — and, says Carr, high-speed 25 Mbps internet services.
This could, in turn, make a broadcast TV company a new option in the availability of wireless internet-of-things (IoT) connectivity.
“Broadcast Internet could play a pivotal role in autonomous vehicles, IoT, smart ag and
telemedicine, among other applications,” Carr said. “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.”
Of course, Carr took a cue from conservative think tanks that disdain a heavy array of Federal rules by saying, “To boost the build out of next-gen Broadcast Internet services, we should remove the overhang of legacy media regulations.”
The June Open Meeting vote will be on “a measure that does just that.” Specifically, it’s a Declaratory Ruling and Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that “would ensure that Broadcast Internet services are not weighed down by legacy media regulations 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.”
This “will help ensure that market forces determine the highest and best use of Broadcast Internet services and allow innovators to generate the geographic footprint that may be needed to deliver competitive offerings,” the Commission notes.
The NAB and CTA each support the measure. Soon-to-retire NAB EVP/Communications Dennis Wharton commented, “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, and we look forward to continuing to work with the Commission as broadcasters explore the full potential of this technology.”
The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking would seek comment on whether to clarify or modify the FCC’s existing rules to further promote the deployment of Broadcast Internet services.
