[opendtv] Re: Senate Drafts Huge Telecom Bill
- From: "Manfredi, Albert E" <albert.e.manfredi@xxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 2 May 2006 16:42:19 -0400
Looks pretty good to me.
This draft bill does a more complete job of leveling the playing field
wrt cable vs. telecom systems, given the reality that both types of
system are merging in services they provide. So all special requirements
levied on voice telephony, for example, apply to any voice telephone
system. Video franschising rules will apply equally to cable an telecom
TV distribution nets, all being streamlined to some extent. And all
service requirements to under-represented segments apply equally to any
technology, within reason. It also gives incentives to deploy broadband
everywhere.
It reiterates the rules for redistribution limitations of TV content,
and audio content, specifically to allow for redistribution inside one's
home. I didn't see any reiteration of the time shift recording
permissions, but the older orders still apply. So all the dates we
already know about, i.e. 1 March 2007 and 18 Feb 2009, and what
equipment they apply to, remain. By the way, that includes recording
devices.
It allows cable systems to convert digital TV to analog, which is good
because it keeps the 85 percent Feree interpretation valid to push on
with analog OTA cutoff. Conversion can be accomplished in the head-end,
on customer premises, or anywhere else.
It permits cable systems to offer the TV stations' programs in any
format, digital or analog, as long as all program-related material is
retained and as long as there's no material degradation of the content
quality. I read this to mean that in principle, even analog HD over
cable, with all pertinent subchannels also offered in analog, would be
allowed. Since analog HD over NTSC is not possible, and since carrying
"all program-related material" in analog would be prohibitive, I guess
this means that all "program related" DTT multicasts have to be carried
by cable companies in their digital tier, for stations whose signal is
carried by the cable company or telecom IPTV system.
I read this to say that cable companies have to carry the DTT multicasts
when multicasts are "program-related," and may also convert to analog if
they wish. Which is quite sensible.
It does require a bit of propaganda to be included in DTV product
labeling, explaining why DTV migration is good, but okay. Other labeling
requirements seem logical.
It mandates that announcements be aired to explain about analog TV
cutoff.
I'm sure there will be plenty of complaints, but overall I think it's a
logical draft bill.
The "network neutrality" aspect has to be addressed carefully. I think
lawmakers need to be clued in that just because a telecom might use
Internet Protocols to transfer TV video, that does not make this telecom
link "the Internet." Protocols shouldn't matter. Services matter.
Bert
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