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FCC's Martin: I Don't Hate Cable
Commission boss makes up with industry at NTCA show
by Karl Bode Monday 07-May-2007 tags: competition · fcc · business · cable
FCC chief Kevin Martin doesn't have a lot of friends in the cable industry at the moment. His push for "a la carte," his indecency campaigns, the set-top box waiver dispute, his "hands off" treatment of the baby bells, and most recently, the capping of ownership limits have all led the industry to recently complain they're being picked on (something he made light of). Martin hit the NCTA show today and insisted despite his record, he doesn't dislike cable, he's just implementing a policy he thinks will bring about competition. The FCC last Friday granted Charter a limited waiver of the set-top security integration ban, buying the chief a little good will at the show.

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ColorBASIC
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Boo F-ing hoo

My violin is playing for the poor cable industry. They are sure making a lot of money for being so picked on. I wish I was abused as much.

Loker
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Re: Boo F-ing hoo

said by ColorBASIC:

My violin is playing for the poor cable industry. They are sure making a lot of money for being so picked on. I wish I was abused as much.
I don't feel bad for the cable industry but I feel bad for us because of all his pro-telco anti-cable reform...it puts the cable industry in a position where it wont be able to compete efficiently once the telco's get their tv service to more than just a handful of markets...A lot of his 'pro-consumer' plans will only apply to the cable companies but wont apply to telco video which seems beyond ridiculous to me.
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ColorBASIC
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Re: Boo F-ing hoo

We have FiOS TV here in my neighborhood and I don't see all my neighbors fleeing to it. I'm still with Time Warner for HSI and Dish Network for video despite FiOS HSI and TV availability. If the SoCal FiOS markets are any indicator of what competitive forces will look like cable will do just fine so long as they offer decent service at a decent price (and knock off with the 2x inflation yearly price increases).

A lot of my neighbors who I would think represent the bulk of potential subscribers say in essence, "FiOS, eh, so what?". It seems FiOS only has a religious following in DSLR-like circles. Everyone else couldn't give a crap less.

Romney2012
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2 edits
said by Loker:

I don't feel bad for the cable industry but I feel bad for us because of all his pro-telco anti-cable reform...it puts the cable industry in a position where it wont be able to compete efficiently once the telco's get their tv service to more than just a handful of markets...A lot of his 'pro-consumer' plans will only apply to the cable companies but wont apply to telco video which seems beyond ridiculous to me.
Cable won't really care about "a la carte" because the pricing is really determined by the content providers and not cable. "a la carte" prices will be higher than packages and in the end content providers and cable won't lose any money if "a la carte" is implemented because net they will still take in the same amount of money.

But the "dual must carry" rule that the FCC is considering will really screw cable over because it will continue to force cable companies to provide analog signals to customers when that clearly is a really bad decision. And the telcos(IPTV) and satellite companies won't be affected by this proposed rule at all. This would put cable at a severe competitive disadvantage. This proposed rule was killed in the courts before on appeal and most likely will be killed again. But Martin is insisting on going forward. Cable will fight this rule tooth and nail in both the courts and Congress and has a legitimate gripe with Martin on this issue.
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RadioDoc
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Re: Boo F-ing hoo

How does a dozen or so local analogs subject to dual must-carry put them at a "severe competitive disadvantage"?
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Romney2012
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Re: Boo F-ing hoo

said by RadioDoc:

How does a dozen or so local analogs subject to dual must-carry put them at a "severe competitive disadvantage"?
A dozen analog channels converts into enough spectrum for about 70 to 100 SD digital channels or about 36 HD digital channels. Yes, it is a competitive disadvantage.
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openbox9

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Re: Boo F-ing hoo

Not to mention that they would have to maintain equipment, customer support, and technical expertise for analog service while their competitors wouldn't.
RadioDoc
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Yeah, those first twelve VHF channels will kill them.

Hardly.
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ColorBASIC
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Let's not for their their most obvious competitive advantage. They CURRENTLY HAVE the customers. In order for the telcos to get customers they have to convince people to do the work of switching which people are reluctant to do. Cable will eventually lose some customers to telcos just as they lost customers to DBS but they'll continue to get POTS customers.

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said by Loker:

A lot of his 'pro-consumer' plans will only apply to the cable companies but wont apply to telco video which seems beyond ridiculous to me.
I agree. One thing I'd like to see is all providers (specifically AT+T) being required to support CableCard. The cableco's were required to do it, why not require it for AT+T? Verizon is providing equipment that's CableCard compatible. Why isn't AT+T required to?

AMDUSER
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Charters Waiver

The reasoning behind the Charter waiver was due to financial problems.
(Mainly its almost $20 Billion of debt.)

Link: »www.twice.com/article/CA6439336.html


major marco
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Problem Solved

All cable has to do is pay their friend fee to Martin just like the telcos have and then Martin can become their little errand boy as well.

Loker
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Re: Problem Solved

said by major marco:

All cable has to do is pay their friend fee to Martin just like the telcos have and then Martin can become their little errand boy as well.
no he wants a board position at Comcast...and stock...lots of stock...gotta have stock...
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kommander

join:2003-11-03
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Re: Problem Solved

The problem with a la cart is that you will in effect end up paying the same amount for your 10 to 15 channels that you really like that you do now for the 70 + channels on an analoge system. The public response will not be good as they will be paying around the same rate and getting a lot less.
The smaller speciality channels may not make it through a blanket change to a la cart

ColorBASIC
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Re: Problem Solved

That isn't what happens with 'big dish' a la carte. Only a few channels constitute the bulk of the pricing, eg ESPN. Other channels sell for less than $1/mo. And there is nothing to say that bundling will disappear with an a la carte option. On the contrary bundling pricing may get cheaper as cable and telcos try and convince people to bundle.

serge666

join:2004-06-07
Little Falls, NJ

FCC picking on cable?

...RIIIIIIIIIGHT

and I suppose people are picking on George Bush only because he's the president.

morbo
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Martin is a douche


it's obvious to the non-brain dead that Martin is and has been in the pocket of telco for some time, no matter what he spews forth from his filthy pie hole.

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