“The Obama administration on Friday weighed into the debate over allowing consumers to switch pricey cable television boxes for less expensive devices, urging an agency to set an example for other parts of government to boost competition,” Timothy Gardner reports for Reuters. “‘You could have a set a standards such that anyone could connect any box to their cable and those boxes could compete for lower prices and greater innovation,’ Jason Furman, the chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers told reporters in a teleconference.”
“The Federal Communications Commission, an independent agency, in February proposed a rule opening competition in the $20 billion television set-top box market. It set a 60 day comment period on the rule that could cost major cable companies,” Gardner reports. “The rule would allow consumers to obtain video services from providers such as Alphabet Inc, Apple Inc and Tivo, instead of cable, satellite and other television providers such Comcast Corp and Verizon Communications.”
“The rule would allow consumers to obtain video services from providers such as Alphabet Inc, Apple Inc and Tivo, instead of cable, satellite and other television providers such Comcast Corp and Verizon Communications,” Gardner reports. “It is unclear if the rule will be implemented before Obama leaves office next January. Cable and television companies have lashed out against the proposal saying it could stifle innovation.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Cable companies will lose this one – and rightfully so. Claiming that opening their closed box monopoly “could stifle innovation,” is laughable. What’ll they claim next, that if it rains we’ll get dry?
The cable box is one of the absolute worst tech products we’re forced to deal with each day. Let Apple bring their inimitable ease-of-use to this area!