OTI Applauds FCC Vote to ‘Unlock the Box’

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, the Federal Communications Commission approved a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that would pave the way for new alternatives to the set top devices that most consumers currently rent from their cable provider. The proposal follows a 2014 directive from Congress to promote competition in the set top box market and months of study by a working group of industry experts, engineers, and consumer advocates.

The following quote can be attributed to Joshua Stager, policy counsel for New America’s Open Technology Institute:

We welcome the Commission’s bold move to unleash innovation and competition in a market that has seen neither in decades. In the ever-evolving world of consumer electronics, today’s set top devices are a blast from the past. They are cumbersome, expensive, and drain as much energy as a refrigerator. These are all signs that the market for set top devices is badly broken. The FCC is taking appropriate steps to address this market failure and give consumers the choices they deserve.