TMCnet News
FCC to Act on IPTV Local Franchising DelaysBy ROBERT LIU
TMCnet Wireless and Technology Columnist
In the midst of a blockbuster week for Internet Protocol (IP)-based video services, the Federal Communications Commission on Thursday announced steps to ensure that state and local authorities don’t hamper the rollout of IPTV service by companies like the regional Bell operating company (RBOC), which haven’t yet secured all the necessary local franchise agreements as required by cable operators.
“We are hearing from some providers that local authorities may be making the process of getting franchises unreasonably difficult. New video entrants, regardless of the technology they employ, should be encouraged – not impeded from entry,” explained FCC Chairman Kevin Martin. The FCC’s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking is a symbolic win for companies like SBC Communications, which have been lobbying to reform the local franchising system that cable operators must abide by. In response to today's actions, SBC officials echoed the sentiments of the commissioners.
“Consumers deserve more choices, competitive prices and new, innovative services, and we applaud the FCC for looking into alternative ways to make that happen. The cable TV franchising process today is exploited by the dominant cable companies to deter competitive entry and delay the day consumers see competitive choice for their TV and entertainment services,” James C. Smith, senior vice president, at SBC. Ironically, the FCC’s actions come on the same day that SBC provided its own update on the rollout of its IPTV/video-on-demand (VOD) service called Project Lightspeed.
Addressing a group of industry analysts hosted by IBM in New York today, SBC Services Chief Information Officer Andy Geisse confirmed the company will embark on the next phase trials for its delayed IPTV service with a limited customer rollout around the end of 2005 or early 2006 in neighborhoods in San Antonio, Texas. Up to now, SBC has only been testing the service in the homes of about 40 employees
“IP is the next big thing. We're going to change the face of television with an IP-based platform that enables integration, personalization and a high-quality entertainment experience,” Geisse is quoted as saying.
The news comes only a day after Sprint’s milestone announcement with some of the largest cable operators in the U.S. to offer consumer converged applications. Sprint and cable executives on Wednesday promised their so-called “Quadruple Play” services (video, voice, data and wireless) would hit the market in 6 to 9 months – around the same time that SBC is expecting to scale up the offerings.
Meanwhile, DIRECTV also announced on Thursday that it has struck an agreement with Level 3 to upgrade and augment the backbone to support and aggregate HDTV signals from local markets for rebroadcast to DIRECTV customers.
SBC said it expect to reach approximately 18 million households by the first half of 2008 as part of initial deployment, using fiber-to-the-node (FTTN) and fiber-to-the-premises technologies. SBC is using the Microsoft TV Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) Edition software platform and working with Alcatel to provide access, routing, and aggregation infrastructure equipment and video system integration services. Other partners include Scientific-Atlanta (IP video network equipment), Amdocs (billing, ordering and payment systems), Scientific-Atlanta and Motorola (set-top boxes), and IBM.
Separately, the FCC also mandated that digitally transmitted video or radio services must include access emergency alert and warning information by the end of next year.
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Robert Liu is Executive Editor at TMCnet. Previously, he was Executive Editor at Jupitermedia and has also written for CNN, A&E, Dow Jones and Bloomberg. For more articles, please visit Robert Liu's columnist page.
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