Broadcast mobile video network operators could benefit if more wireless carriers adopt mobile broadband usage limits as AT&T has, industry executives said. That’s because services like Qualcomm’s MediaFLO and the TV broadcasters’ mobile DTV don’t consume any bandwidth on the carriers’ network. But some are concerned consumers might avoid mobile video altogether if they're worried about exceeding the limits and don’t understand the distinctions between various mobile video services.
A backlog of more than a million indecency complaints pending at the FCC has the agency considering whether to dispose of some, and others have expired because the time for action elapsed, agency and industry officials said. Staffers such as those at the Office of General Counsel are aware of the need to act to trim the backlog, a commission official said. Another agency official said the regulator could dismiss complaints against non-broadcast shows, such as those on cable, that aren’t subject to indecency rules.
The ongoing fight over whether broadband should be reclassified as a more heavily regulated “telecom” service has resulted in chaos for the broadband industry, FCC Commissioner Meredith Baker said Thursday at the annual Broadband Policy Summit, sponsored by Pike & Fischer. Baker also said work on the “third way” reclassification plan by FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski has distracted attention from the National Broadband Plan. Another danger is that increased FCC regulation of the Internet could lead to more government control of the Internet in other nations, she warned.
FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski is expected to face increasing pressure from Congress this summer to back down from a proposal to partially reclassify broadband as a Title II service, in favor of seeking compromise with industry. Even members of Genachowski’s own party have expressed reservations about the “third way” reclassification plan he proposed a month ago (CD May 7 p1), which would reclassify broadband transport from a lightly regulated information service under Title I of the Communications Act, to a common carrier service under Title II and forbear from all but six of that title’s 48 sections.
ESPN 3D’s initial start on cable has been limited by some operators’ reluctance to carry the network as they weigh the costs associated with it against the limited number of 3D TV sets in the market and the technical challenges related to acquiring the programming, industry executives said. Comcast will carry the network, but others are still making up their minds.
FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski is expected to face increasing pressure from Congress this summer to back down from a proposal to partially reclassify broadband as a Title II service, in favor of seeking compromise with industry. Even members of Genachowski’s own party have expressed reservations about the “third way” reclassification plan he proposed a month ago (WID May 7 p1), which would reclassify broadband transport from a lightly regulated information service under Title I of the Communications Act, to a common carrier service under Title II and forbear from all but six of that title’s 48 sections.
ESPN 3D’s initial start on cable has been limited by some operators’ reluctance to carry the network as they weigh the costs associated with it against the limited number of 3D TV sets in the market and the technical challenges related to acquiring the programming, industry executives said. Comcast will carry the network, but others are still making up their minds.
ESPN 3D debuts Friday with the opening World Cup match between Mexico and South Africa, armed only with carriage agreements from Comcast and DirecTV. But ESPN 3D is satisfied with its position at launch, senior executives said in an interview. That’s because ESPN is well ahead of where it was, in terms of coverage of homes, when it began ESPN HD in March 2003, the executives said.
ESPN 3D debuts Friday with the opening World Cup match between Mexico and South Africa, armed only with carriage agreements from Comcast and DirecTV. But ESPN 3D is satisfied with its position at launch, senior executives said in an interview. That’s because ESPN is well ahead of where it was, in terms of coverage of homes, when it began ESPN HD in March 2003, the executives said.
Many of the 122 questions total the FCC posed to Comcast and NBC Universal on their deal to combine broadcast, cable and online programming assets signal a keen interest by the agency and Chairman Julius Genachowski in Internet video, experts observing the review said. The queries, many with sub-questions, were released by the commission Friday afternoon. They cover VOD, online video distribution, set-top boxes and Internet video that can be seen using the devices. Queries on carriage deals show an interest in program access, industry lawyers who reviewed the data requests said.