The head of the National Cable Telecommunications Association asked the Federal Communications Commission to prevent technology mandates, arguing they prevent innovation and could hinder the development of smart video devices. Kyle McSlarrow, NCTA President and CEO, asserted that the many recent business arrangements from multichannel video programming distributors (MVPDs) – cable, satellite and telco TV providers – were created to meet consumer demand without any technology mandate.
He asserted that giving MVPDs the flexibility to innovate without worrying about mandates is important in the current dynamic market, with ever-evolving technology and consumer demand. McSlarrow suggested that “instead of mandating specific technical requirements that could stifle innovation in this dynamic marketplace, the commission could use cable’s consumer device video principles – which were first submitted to the FCC in March 2010 – to assess and promote innovation in video devices.”
