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Last week, representatives from the cable industry met with FCC officials and put forth a proposal seeking to delay negotiations on unlocking the set-top box. In response, Chip Pickering, CEO of INCOMPAS and a member of the Consumer Video Choice Coalition (CVCC), said "it is encouraging to see the cable industry willing to agree to three critical points. First, consumers should be free from rental boxes and have the power to choose their own devices. Second, consumers should have integrated search capabilities, so they can find the Internet streaming content they crave. Third, cable induced fears over privacy, copyright and licensing in an open, competitive device market are false."
He added that "the 'unlock the box' movement seeks to promote consumer savings, choice and innovation. The FCC has the opportunity to free consumers from the box of the past and unleash a future of true innovation and consumer choice. We look forward to continuing the dialogue with the cable industry. Their current proposal
presents both some positive movement and some familiar limitations that could fall short of delivering an open, competitive marketplace. Consumers should be in control of their viewing experience and have greater choices in their app environment. This will produce the same innovative ecosystem we have seen on smart phones and other devices. In addition, the cable industry is proposing competitive choice for streaming devices, but still seeks to retain a controlling grip on DVRs and recordable devices."
"The cable industry has made promises before about ditching the set-top box that have not materialized. So it is important for the FCC's 'unlock the box' proposal to include enforceable standards that will create a thriving market for competition, congruent with the law. Again, we welcome proposals and constructive conversations with the cable industry, the FCC, and all stakeholders as we work toward a better solution for customer choice, competition and innovation," Pickering concluded.
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