The six largest cable operators committed to making their basic...
The six largest cable operators committed to making their basic service tiers available to third-party devices in a few different ways if they're allowed to encrypt that service tier, according to a letter NCTA President Michael Powell wrote to the…
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FCC Wednesday (http://xrl.us/bnh65y). The letter spelled out two options cable operators could follow to meet the commitments. In one, they could offer their customers who use a retail-enabled ClearQAM device a “digital transport adapter” or DTA that will be equipped with standard home-networking capabilities. Customers who have devices with an embedded DTA, as described in a recent filing from Comcast and Boxee, would not be entitled to an additional operator-supplied DTA, Neal Goldberg, NCTA vice president, told us. A second option calls for cable operators to deliver their basic service tier to IP-enabled third-party devices without any hardware. Under that option cable operators “shall use commercially available security technology that is licensable on a non-discriminatory basis to manufacturers of such retail devices,” the letter said. “Any Cable Operator that pursues this option agrees to make publicly available the requirements necessary (including any authentication processes) for such a device to access the Basic Service Tier and submit a copy of such requirements to the Commission.” Powell wrote that the commitments would expire after three years barring an extension by the FCC. “We hope that the above commitments resolve any remaining concerns regarding access to the Basic Service Tier by certain retail devices,” he wrote. “Each day that passes without Commission action delays the significant benefits that will come from the Commission’s proposed rule change and subjects cable operators to further theft of service from broadband-only customers that could have been prevented by a rule change."