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 By David Shepardson
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Federal Communications
Commission will vote next month to allow broadcasters to
voluntarily use a new technology to improve picture quality and
allow better reception on mobile phones, the agency said on
Thursday.
The FCC in February granted initial approval for the advanced
standard that would also let broadcasters use a TV set that is
turned off to send emergency alerts, but would require TV owners
to eventually buy new sets or converter boxes.
FCC Chairman Ajit Pai said on Thursday Net Generation TV would
be "the first standard to marry the advantages of broadcasting
and the Internet. It holds the promise of delivering better
video and audio, advanced emergency alerts, improved
accessibility features, personalized and interactive content."
The proposal would require local simulcasting of current signals
for at least five years for stations that choose to deploy Next
Gen TV so existing TVs and tuners can still receive programming,
a person briefed on the matter said.
The ATSC 3.0 standard offers much more precise geolocating of TV
signals, ultra-high definition picture quality and more
interactive programming. It was created by a nonprofit group
represented by the broadcasting, consumer electronics, cable,
computer and motion picture industries.
The standard uses precision broadcasting and targets emergency
or weather alerts on a street-by-street basis. The system could
allow broadcasters to wake up a receiver to broadcast emergency
alerts.
The alerts could include maps, storm tracks and evacuation
routes, companies have said.
At a House hearing on Wednesday, Democratic U.S. Representative
Debbie Dingell raised privacy concerns about the data the new
TVs could collect about viewers.
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One issue is whether broadcasters will be able to pass on the costs
of advanced broadcast signals through higher retransmissions fees
and demand that providers carry the signals.
The National Association of Broadcasters, which represents Tegna
Inc, Comcast Corp, CBS Corp, Scripps Networks Interactive Inc, Walt
Disney Co, Twenty-First Century Fox Inc and others, petitioned the
FCC in April 2016 to approve the new standard.
Many companies have raised concerns about costs, including AT&T Inc.
Verizon Communications Inc said last week the FCC should not require
TV viewers "to pay for a new broadcast TV service they have not yet
requested."
Cable, satellite and other pay TV providers "would incur significant
costs to receive, transmit, and deliver ATSC 3.0 signals to
subscribers, including for network and subscriber equipment,"
Verizon said.
Verizon also said because of the increased bandwidth requirements,
TV providers would be forced "to reconfigure channel lineups and
potentially drop some programming."
LG Electronics Inc said in a filing that the next generation
standard is "the future of mass media communications – a future that
is increasingly mobile, interactive and content-rich."
Many nations are considering the new standard. South Korea adopted
the ATSC 3.0 standard in 2016.
(Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe and Meredith Mazzilli)
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