ATSC 3.0 Transition Could Be Burden to Cable, NCTA Says

Broadcaster adoption of ATSC 3.0 would raise “numerous complicated technical and practical issues for cable operators” (see 1605270054), NCTA said in a meeting Thursday with FCC Media Bureau Chief Bill Lake and Office of Engineering and Technology Chief Julius Knapp, according to an ex parte filing posted Tuesday in docket 16-142. An NPRM on ATSC 3.0 should seek comment on minimizing the costs of the transition for cable operators and their customers, NCTA said. “Cable operators should not be required to carry any ATSC 3.0 signal during this transition," and the FCC in any NPRM "should ensure that those broadcasters that opt to transmit an ATSC 3.0 signal continue to provide a good quality ATSC 1.0 signal to the cable headend,” NCTA said. The FCC, not individual broadcasters, should determine when the ATSC 3.0 transition period ends, NCTA said. NAB didn't comment right away Tuesday.