Cable-box vote delay
FCC stalls device plan
A planned vote to give consumers alternatives to renting a settop box from their cable company was canceled last week by Federal Communications Commission Chairman Tom Wheeler, but he insisted the agency is still working on a proposal to pave the way for cheaper alternatives.
Wheeler, a Democrat, removed the proposal from the agency’s monthly meeting agenda, saying technical and legal details were still being worked out.
Dropping a vote at the last minute can indicate deep discord at the FCC, where the chairman controls the agenda and leads a majority drawn from his political party.
“It was simply a matter of running out of time” in internal discussions, Wheeler said in a news conference after the meeting. “We expect to get something done.”
The plan, backed by the White House, aims to clear the way for less expensive devices to serve as in-home gateways to video programming.
It would require cable companies to supply free online apps that can be used by the likes of TiVo, Roku or Alphabet’s Google in gadgets that would become the in-home gateway to traditional channels and online shows alike.
The proposal drew opposition from cable TV providers and skepticism from one of Wheeler’s fellow FCC Democrats, Jessica Rosenworcel, who earlier said the agency lacked authority for overseeing apps as the chairman had proposed.
Prior to the meeting, Wheeler was said to have offered to reduce FCC oversight in a compromise to attract support. He needs all three Democratic votes since both agency Republicans oppose the measure.
“We have made tremendous progress — and we share the goal of creating a more innovative and inexpensive market for these consumer devices,” Wheeler, Rosenworcel and Democratic Commissioner Mignon Clyburn said in a joint statement on Thursday in an apparent effort to show unity.
They said they are still “working to resolve the remaining technical and legal issues and we are committed to unlocking the settop box for consumers across this country.”
The FCC “made the right decision” in delaying action, David Cohen, executive vice president at Comcast said.
Sen. Edward Markey (D-Mass.), who has pushed for action, called the delay “an unequivocal loss for the tens of millions of Americans across the country who are forced to spend their hard-earned money on overpriced set-top box leases.”