FCC Commissioner Mignon Clyburn spoke at the Independent Show in Orlando, Fla., yesterday and assured independent cable operators that she is paying careful attention to the potential impacts of regulation on smaller video and broadband providers. The Independent Show is co-hosted by the American Cable Association and the National Cable Television Cooperative.
“Many of you provide service in places where there might not be any other option,” Commissioner Mignon Clyburn says. “Because of the valuable role that you play, I am both vigilant and mindful of the impact regulations may have on businesses of your size. This is why I continue to listen to your concerns.”
In regard to BDS proposals in a pending FCC rulemaking, she notes that she believes that new entrants like cable should be able to participate and flourish in the business data services market.
“I am looking for a solution that balances the need for access to bottleneck facilities while minimizing regulation where it is not necessary,” Clyburn adds.
The ACA is urging the FCC to “retain time-tested methods of not regulating the provision of BDS by cable and other competitive providers while continuing to target dominant providers.”
On the set-top front, Clyburn says that her mind remains open on how to proceed with FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler’s proposal to overhaul the multichannel video programming distributor (MVPD) set-top box arena, in an effort to promote the retail availability of third-party devices capable of accessing pay TV services. ACA has expressed concerns that Wheeler’s plan would a cost a typical small cable operator at least $1 million per headend/central office.
“I am happy to report that we are very much in the deliberative stage. There is no rush on this when it comes to choosing one pathway or another tomorrow,” Clyburn notes. “At the end of the day, when a final decision is made, we want to be as close to nirvana as possible.”
Filed Under: Industry regulations + certifications
