CTA Says Its A/322 Policy Change Prompted by Members Seeking More ATSC 3.0 ‘Certainty’

Since CTA’s June filing urging the FCC in ATSC 3.0 rules only to “encourage” adoption of ATSC’s A/322 document on physical-layer protocol, without requiring it (see 1706090026), member companies "indicated a need for more certainty regarding the transmission standard to ensure a uniform and smooth transition to NextGen TV,” said Brian Markwalter, senior vice president-research and standards. That was CTA’s rationale for writing to all five commissioners to incorporate A/322 into 3.0 rules, not just the A/321 document on system discovery and signaling (see 1710190048), said Markwalter Thursday. Keeping with the 3.0 transition's voluntary, market-driven nature, CTA previously told the FCC it wasn't seeking “a requirement to implement A/322.”