NAB takes no position on the “merits” of the 5G Broadcast technology espoused by Qualcomm for over-the-air TV content delivery to mobile devices as a complement to ATSC 3.0 (see 2208080065), said the association in reply comments Tuesday at the FCC in docket 16-142.
If the FCC doesn’t allow the substantially similar requirement for ATSC 3.0 broadcasters to sunset in June, an extension should be short and include a predictable endpoint, said NAB and Pearl TV in reply comments posted Wednesday in docket 16-422.
Rohde & Schwartz endorses Qualcomm’s proposal that the FCC seek comment in the same proceeding as ATSC 3.0 for deploying the 5G Broadcast standard for over-the-air TV content delivery to mobile devices (see 2208080065), said the broadcast equipment vendor in reply comments Tuesday in docket 16-142. Adding 5G Broadcast support to “existing and upcoming” smartphones and tablets “is just a matter of software and middleware adjustment and upgrades,” said R&S. “In other terms, there will be no need for additional silicon or any hardware changes within the same mobile devices,” it said. “Based on its flexible design, 5G Broadcast can be implemented hand-in-hand with ATSC 3.0 within the same 6 MHz channel.”
NAB responded to New America’s Open Technology Institute and Public Knowledge comments in a TV white spaces (TVWS) proceeding. The groups had blasted NAB in comments on how often narrowband devices should have to check a white spaces database. NAB’s objections “stem not from any genuine technical concern but solely from the desire to ‘get Big Tech’ and undermine the use of unlicensed spectrum,” OTI and PK said (see 2208020055). “A careful examination of those comments … demonstrates they are replete with questionable claims, exaggerations, and misleading conflations of projects,” NAB said Wednesday in docket 20-36: “The comments repeatedly conflate, knowingly or not, larger broadband initiatives with TVWS technology and thus seek to ascribe to TVWS the successes associated with other technologies.” NAB cited in particular references to Microsoft’s Airband initiative: “Microsoft’s promise to expand broadband service to three million Americans cannot possibly have anything to do with the meager 213 TVWS devices operating today.” NAB "is making every effort it can to reclaim valuable TV White space spectrum,” emailed PK Policy Counsel Kathleen Burke: “This play isn't about the alleged failure of TVWS services, but rather about the potential profits broadcasters might get by subleasing the spectrum they received for free to non-broadcast commercial uses.” The “supposed innovative uses of ATSC 3.0 are almost entirely ancillary commercial opportunities such as navigation and timing services; datacasts to smart Intenet-of-Things devices and smart vehicles; and interactive sports betting for live event broadcasts” and “have nothing to do with the public interest benefits of broadcast television that prompted the FCC to grant free licenses to broadcasters in the first place,” she said. “In contrast, TV white space services actually connect underserved populations to the Internet. Since ATSC 3.0 requires an internet connection to provide the uplink for its interactive innovations, TV white space services could help ensure that all Americans not just, those already connected to the Internet, can benefit from NextGen Broadcasting.” TVWS “offers a valuable option to rural and remote communities for broadband and, increasingly, to farmers, ranchers and others for narrowband sensors that they can access freely,” responded Michael Calabrese, director of the Wireless Future Program at New America. “For many years there have been few if any complaints of harmful interference to TV viewers,” he said: “Despite this, at every step, NAB has sought to limit or eliminate public access to this unused spectrum. It is plain to everyone who pays attention that broadcasters are determined to control and monetize not only the free TV spectrum they use, but also the large portion of the TV band they don’t use.”
Though Ericsson doesn't participate in ATSC 3.0 standards-setting activities, it worries about the “chilling effect” an FCC effort to regulate reasonable and nondiscriminatory (RAND) 3.0 patent licensing would have on “other important areas of innovation” before the commission, including 5G, commented the company in docket 16-142 in the FCC’s NPRM on 3.0 (see 2207060019). Promulgating FCC rules that regulate royalties for 3.0-essential patents, including agency attempts to define what constitutes RAND licensing terms, “would create unintended consequences and harm future communications innovation,” plus it would “exceed the scope” of the commission’s “legal authority,” it said. “In the rare case where the FCC has intervened with patent and license negotiations, the Commission found that such action was necessary to carry out its explicit statutory directive, but even then did not directly regulate patent licensing,” said Ericsson.
Qualcomm wants the FCC to “introduce the option” for broadcasters to use “5G Broadcast,” as an "alternative broadcast transmission standard” to ATSC 3.0 to beam over-the-air TV content to smartphones, because five years into 3.0's voluntary use, “broadcasters still lack the capability to reach on-the-go viewers via their mobile devices,” said the Snapdragon supplier in comments posted in docket 16-142. Comments were due Monday in the FCC’s NPRM on ATSC 3.0 deployment, including progress in broadcast and consumer adoption of the technology (see 2208090040). The agency’s June 22 rulemaking notice didn’t ask for public input on the progress to deploy 3.0 transmissions to mobile devices (see 2207060019), which Qualcomm correctly asserted don't exist. Qualcomm recommends the FCC “seek comment on implementation of the 5G Broadcast standard in this proceeding,” it said. “If allowed, this standard would provide mobile viewers with immersive broadcast content and critical public safety messages on their mobile devices when conventional broadcast alerting systems or cellular infrastructure are unavailable during a power outage,” it said. 5G Broadcast "would not replace ATSC 3.0 for fixed reception of television broadcast signals as the former technology targets mobility use case scenarios," said Qualcomm. 5G Broadcast "would complement the ATSC 3.0 services broadcasters are offering, reaching viewers wherever they are, including when they are out and about," it said. ATSC 3.0 “is not supported in mobile devices today” because a 3.0 modem “must be included in the mobile device along with additional hardware and software,” it said. 5G Broadcast, in contrast, “can be supported by mobile devices without any additional hardware,” it said. ATSC President Madeleine Noland said Tuesday she had no immediate comment "beyond that ATSC is reading through all of the submissions and may have an opinion to share after digesting what’s been written." Qualcomm was among several companies to oppose a commission mandate on 3.0 reception in smartphones in 2017, just before the FCC authorized 3.0's voluntary deployment for broadcasters; the commission never put such a mandate proposal on the table (see 1709200016). NPRM replies are due Sept. 6.
Opinions varied among the comments received in the FCC’s June 22 NPRM on ATSC 3.0, five years into its voluntary deployment (see 2207060019), about whether the technology scored a hit with consumers. There appeared to be consensus in the comments posted Tuesday in docket 16-142 about keeping in place for now the requirement that TV broadcasters transmit their primary 3.0 video streams in compliance with ATSC's A/322 physical layer protocol standard. The A/322 requirement is due to expire March 6 unless the FCC reinstates it.
Broadcasters want the FCC to allow the ATSC 3.0 substantially similar requirement to sunset and remove other limits on 3.0 broadcasts, but MVPD groups and Public Knowledge say those restrictions must remain to avoid pressure on consumers, according to comments posted Tuesday in docket 16-142.
MPEG LA and InterDigital urged the FCC not to get involved in regulating patent licensing for ATSC 3.0 amid evidence that the free market was working well and showing no signs of license irregularities or abuses, in comments posted Monday in docket 16-142. The comments were due Monday in the FCC’s NPRM on all aspects of the ATSC 3.0 deployment, including whether 3.0-essential patents are being licensed on reasonable and nondiscriminatory (RAND) terms (see 2207060019).
Sinclair Broadcast reached agreements with two Korean networks to collaborate on ATSC 3.0 tech in both Korea and the U.S., it said in a news release Monday. The deals with Korean Broadcast System (KBS) and Munhwa Broadcasting Corp. (MBC) include developing 3.0 TV technology and data distribution business opportunities, the release said. "KBS is interested in revitalizing the ATSC 3.0 receiver market including vehicles and mobile devices, developing disaster broadcasting technologies, and discovering various innovative service models that combine terrestrial broadcasting and 5G communication technologies,” said KBS President Eui-chul Kim. “I hope that the ATSC 3.0 Enhanced GPS technology, which has succeeded in commercialization in Korea, will be expanded to the U.S. self-driving mobility market in cooperation with the three companies,” said Sung-Jae Park, MBC president.