Media Contact:
Benjamin Arden, (202) 418-0288 
benjamin.arden@fcc.gov 






CARR WELCOMES SUPPORT FOR BROADCAST INTERNET INITIATIVE 
WASHINGTON, DC, June 5, 2020—On June 9, the FCC will vote on an item to promote the build out of Broadcast Internet services—a range of innovative offerings that can be delivered over the same, powerful broadcast television spectrum that blankets U.S. communities today.  These offerings include support for autonomous vehicles, IoT, smart ag, and telemedicine, among other applications.  

In the Declaratory Ruling led by Commissioner Carr, the FCC would clarify that its broadcast television station ownership rules do not apply to leasing arrangements between broadcasters and third parties for the provision of Broadcast Internet services, thus ensuring that these offerings are not weighed down by legacy media regulations.  An accompanying 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.  

“Broadcast Internet services are poised to offer consumers a new and competitive broadband pipe,” Carr stated.  “To boost the build out of next-gen Broadcast Internet services, we should remove the overhang of legacy media regulations, and this proceeding is an important step in that process.  I welcome the support that a broad and diverse group of stakeholders have voiced for this decision.”

The Consumer Technology Association (CTA):  “We appreciate the FCC’s support for NEXTGEN TV and Commissioner Carr’s focus on the future capabilities of this technology….  The transition to NEXTGEN TV brings a new era of TV innovation, giving consumers more anytime/anywhere access to immersive video features and interactivity.  And the ATSC 3.0 platform gives broadcasters, developers and businesses new opportunities for future innovations in app development, revenue streams, programming and local emergency alerts.” 

The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB):  “NAB commends the Commission for providing greater regulatory certainty regarding the treatment of ‘Broadcast Internet’ applications provided through the ATSC 3.0 transmission standard.  Broadcasters are excited about the potential benefits of the new standard not only to provide the next generation of television service, but also to offer new and innovative services to benefit the American consumer.”

America’s Public Television Station (APTS): “Next Gen TV will enable public television stations to better use their licensed spectrum to apply their datacasting capability to such applications as remote learning, career training, emergency communications, telehealth, Smart Cities connections, precision agriculture, and homeland security….  Offered as part of an evolving communications ecosystem that will complement existing LTE networks and new 5G networks, Broadcast Internet offerings will play an especially important role in serving the millions of Americans who cannot access or cannot afford wireless services. … [We] urge the Commission to adopt the draft Declaratory Ruling and Notice of Propose Rulemaking on Broadcast Internet and to expeditiously allow the public benefits these services will provide.”

Public Media Group:  “The ATSC 3.0 standard allows for real-time dynamic spectrum management, enabling the immediate use of the ‘one-to-many’ architecture of broadcasting for a variety of IP-based uses that will benefit communities, including distribution of health-related and educational content and services, delivery of emergency alerts and other public safety applications, and dissemination of software and cybersecurity updates to power Smart Cities, autonomous vehicles, and IoT products and applications, to name just a few. … ATSC 3.0 technology ‘is well-positioned to support a host of next-generation applications,’ and the Commission should take the important step of creating a regulatory environment to encourage the development of Broadcast Internet services and applications.”

The Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC):  “[ATSC] sincerely appreciates the Commission’s continued support of next-generation broadcasting, especially as relates to the voluntary use of the new ATSC 3.0 standard. … ATSC 3.0 was designed from the ground up to deliver both Television services and Broadcast Internet services.  Many design details contribute to achieve this flexibility, and perhaps the most important among those is the system’s IP backbone. … As the body of technical experts behind ATSC 3.0, we value the FCC’s attention to ATSC 3.0….”

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Office of Commissioner Brendan Carr: (202) 418-2200
www.fcc.gov/about/leadership/brendan-carr