The FCC shouldn’t regulate signal quality for digital...
The FCC shouldn’t regulate signal quality for digital cable systems, Verizon officials told Media Bureau staff in a meeting Friday, according to an ex parte letter filed with the FCC (http://bit.ly/18DzYbz). “While the FCC’s current analog technical rules are outdated,…
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there is no reason to adopt new regulations for digital cable systems such as FiOS TV,” said Verizon. The company argued that because of its high-quality network and capacity to check its own errors, it doesn’t need further oversight. “For such a network, proof-of-performance mandates, such as semi-annual testing, would impose costs on Verizon’s system but would not improve the quality of the customer’s experience. It is unlikely that such testing would alert our technicians to any problem not already detected through our own stringent and continuous internal monitoring,” said Verizon. The company urged the FCC officials to allow the invisible hand of the market to ensure customers receive high signal quality. “Robust competition in the video market creates strong incentives for video providers to deliver high quality services, particularly a service as fundamental as a good picture,” said Verizon. “If a video provider is not offering the highest quality service, its customers can and will switch to a competitor."