Commissioner Carr Announces Plan to Advance Broadcast Internet Services

Federal Communications Commissioner Brendan Carr announced that the FCC will vote on his plan to promote the build out of Broadcast Internet services. These are a range of innovative offerings that can be delivered over the same, powerful broadcast television spectrum that blankets US communities today. These Broadcast Internet services are enabled by a new broadcast transmission standard known as ATSC 3.0 and delivered over an efficient one-to-many architecture. The FCC will vote on the item—a Declaratory Ruling and Notice of Proposed Rulemaking—at its June Open Meeting. The Declaratory Ruling would ensure that Broadcast Internet services are not weighed down by legacy media regulations by clarifying that the FCC’s broadcast television station ownership rules do not apply to leasing arrangements between broadcasters and third parties for the provision of Broadcast Internet services. This will help ensure that market forces determine the highest and best use of Broadcast Internet services and allow innovators to generate the geographic footprint that may be needed to deliver competitive offerings. The 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.