Verizon is asking the FCC to adopt a few requirements to ease the transition to ATSC 3.0 for all participants in the video marketplace.
In comments filed with the FCC Friday, Verizon supported the Commission’s proposal to require broadcast stations transitioning to ATSC 3.0 to provide a simulcast of their programming in ATSC 1.0, but urged that a few additional requirements be put in place until ATSC 3.0 achieves widespread adoption.
The simulcast obligation is meant to ensure that consumers still have access to broadcast TV and aren’t forced to spend money on expensive equipment upgrades.
“Just as broadcast TV stations should have the flexibility to choose whether and when to implement ATSC 3.0, other affected parties should similarly have the option of deciding whether and when to invest in new equipment to view and deploy ATSC 3.0, particularly consumers – both over-the-air viewer and subscribers to Multichannel Video Programming Distributors (MVPDs) – as well as TV equipment manufacturers, mobile device makers, and wireless service providers,” Verizon’s attorney’s write.
Verizon says it wants the Commission to require that the ATSC 1.0 simulcast provides the same programming as the ATSC 3.0 broadcast, with about the same geographic coverage, in the same format – be it high or standard definition – and at the same bitrate as the broadcast stations’ current DTV over-the-air broadcast.
“If the Commission allows certain broadcast stations to ‘flashcut’ to ATSC 3.0 without a simulcast, the Commission should allow MVPDs to ‘downconvert’ those ATSC 3.0 transmissions to ATSC 1.0,” Verizon notes.
Verizon also recommends that if a broadcast station relocates its ATSC 1.0 simulcast, the Commission should require that the simulcast continues to reach viewers in the same format and with the same picture quality as prior to simulcasting.
Further, Verizon doesn’t want MVPDs and their subscribers to be forced to incur costs of switching to ATSC 3.0 through retransmission consent negotiations. The operator says MVPDs should instead have the flexibility if and when to carry the new transmissions in response to consumer demand.
“Until subscribers demand enhanced broadcast TV, they should not have to pay for it,” Verizon comments. “As explained in our comments, MVPDs would incur significant costs to receive, transmit, and deliver ATSC 3.0 signals to subscribers, including for network and subscriber equipment.”
Subscribers would also likely have to purchase new TVs or other equipment in order to receive the new programming, Verizon notes.
Verizon adds that due to the increased bandwidth requirements of ATSC 3.0, MVPDs might be forced to drop some programming to accommodate multiple signals.
The filing also urges the Commission to prohibit broadcasters from requiring MVPDs to carry the new signal as a condition for carrying the ATSC 1.0 signal used by consumers today. Specifically, Verizon suggests imposing a one-year “quiet” period before a retransmission consent agreement for an ATSC 1.0 signal expires, during which broadcasters can’t negotiate for the first-time carriage of an ATSC 3.0 signal.
Finally, Verizon wants stations to provide MVPDs at least 60 days’ notice of a must-carry station’s relocation of its ATSC 1.0 signal.
“If the broadcast station and an MVPD cannot establish reception of a good quality signal within the 60 days, then to ensure continued carriage, the broadcast station should be required to deliver the signal by fiber feed or some alternative means,” Verizon writes.
If there is no alternative, MVPDs should be allowed to put off carriage until the station can deliver a good quality signal, Verizon concludes.
FCC approval of the new ATSC 3.0 standard is anticipated to happen in the fourth quarter of 2017.
Several companies are preparing for the transition, including Sinclair Broadcast Group and Nexstar Media Group. In July the two companies announced a tentative agreement to work together on the transition to over-the air delivery of ASTSC 3.0 next-gen TV services in 97 markets.
