[20160224]IF10364_解锁机顶盒.pdf

https:/crsreports.congress.gov February 24, 2016Unlocking the Set-Top BoxOn February 18, 2016 the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) proposed rules intended to make it easier for television viewers who subscribe to cable or satellite services to buy set-top boxes from retail outlets. These technical proposals have ignited a firestorm of controversy amid claims that they could alter the distribution of profits within the television industry and erode long-standing consumer protections in federal law. Background More than 116 million U.S. households watch television. Of those, approximately 86% subscribe to a service that distributes multichannel video programming through cables, telephone lines, or a satellite dish on the premises. These Multichannel Video Programming Distributors, or MVPDs, fall into one of three categories: cable providers such as Comcast and Time Warner Cable; telephone company (telco) services such as Verizons FiOS; and direct broadcast satellite providers (Dish Network and AT&Ts DirecTV). (See Figure 1.) Figure 1. How Viewers Receive Television Programs Percentage of Television Households as of 3Q 2015 Source: The Nielsen Company. Notes: Some households m