Media Room
Media Room
Release date 09/08/2016
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- FCC Chairman Wheeler today unveiled his final proposal to promote greater competition in the TV set-top box marketplace. The proposed final rule would direct pay-TV providers to offer free apps that consumers can access across their devices, including smart TVs and third party streaming platforms like Roku or Apple TV. These apps would include an integrated search function, allowing consumers to search for content across pay-TV and other video at the same time.
Consumers Union, the advocacy arm of Consumer Reports, has pressed the FCC to open up the set-top box market so consumers have more choices and better options.
Consumers Union issued this statement in response to Chairman Wheeler’s proposal:
“For decades, consumers have been trapped into renting cables boxes from their pay-TV providers -- who have raked in $20 billion a year in device lease fees. With all the advances we’ve seen in video services, it’s time to unlock the box and give consumers the options they want, where they want them. Chairman Wheeler’s proposal will allow consumers to choose from a variety of devices to access all their content. And it could save American families hundreds of dollars a year in device fees. This proposal is an important step in giving consumers new, innovative choices in a market that’s had limited -- if any -- competition for years. We look forward to seeing more details on the plan and working with the FCC to ensure consumers get the options they deserve.”