ATSC 3.0 Needed to Keep U.S. at ‘Forefront of Innovation,’ says Pai

Posted on October 5, 2016 in ATSC News

Testifying at the Sept. 15 Senate Commerce Committee FCC oversight hearing, Commissioner Ajit Pai extolled the virtues of ATSC 3.0 Next-Gen TV and urged his fellow Commissioners to move ahead rapidly on a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that addresses the proposed voluntary implementation of Next-Gen TV by local broadcasters and consumer electronics manufacturers. Excerpts of his remarks follow.

Important for FCC to ‘Act with Dispatch’ on ATSC 3.0

By AJIT PAI FCC Commissioner

I hope that the Commission can move forward quickly in a bipartisan manner on ATSC 3.0, the next-generation broadcast standard.

In April, broadcasters and the consumer electronics industry filed a petition for rulemaking with the Commission asking the FCC to provide broadcasters with the option of using the next-generation broadcast standard.

The Commission sought comment on this petition, and following the close of comments in late June, there was widespread support for it. There is no dispute that the next-generation broadcast standard will allow broadcasters to provide better service to the American people.

Consumers will easily be able to watch over-the-air programming on mobile devices. Picture quality will improve with 4K transmissions. Accurate sound localization and customizable sound mixes will produce an immersive audio experience. And broadcasters will be able to provide advanced emergency alerts with localized information and greater amounts of data.

I believe that it is important for the Commission to act with dispatch. Just as the United States is leading the way on 5G in the mobile space, so too should we be at the forefront of innovation in the broadcast space. Other countries aren’t standing still. Earlier this year, for example, South Korea adopted the ATSC 3.0 standard, and ATSC 3.0 broadcasters are scheduled to begin there in February 2017. We should get moving, too.

I therefore hope that the Commission will issue a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on ATSC 3.0 no later than the end of this year. Put simply, the FCC should not stand in the way of innovation. This is especially true because all we are talking about is giving broadcasters the option of using ATSC 3.0. No one would be required to do so.

Let’s allow broadcasters who wish to move forward with ATSC 3.0 pursue this pro-consumer path as quickly as possible.

Posted in ATSC News