Verizon 3.0 Concerns 'Absurd,' Says NAB; MVPD 3.0 Redistribution Plans Ready in 2018, Says ATSC

It's “absurd” to suggest a company the size of Verizon could be forced into carrying ATSC 3.0 by much smaller broadcasters, said NAB in docket 16-142 Tuesday responding to the carrier (see 1710200025). Verizon “undoubtedly has a motive to hamstring such innovation by imposing needless and unreasonable regulatory burdens on broadcasters,” NAB said. “Verizon has begun testing the delivery of 4K television service. It is thus understandable why Verizon is concerned about a free over-the-air 4K competitor.” In a letter to the Media Bureau, the Advanced Television Systems Committee said recommended practices on MVPD redistribution of 3.0 signals are expected to be completed in 2018. The practices concern conversion of 3.0 services into 1.0 services “so that hardware or software products can be built to implement conversions to formats suitable for ATSC 1.0 redistribution systems or ATSC 1.0 over the air broadcast,” the group said.