NextGen TV: FCC Drops Reconsideration of DTS Rules

WASHINGTON, D.C. —In a development that has important implications for the ongoing rollout and success of data services and NextGen TV, the FCC has closed its reconsideration of a 2021 ruling on distributed television systems.

Microsoft had requested that the FCC reconsider the DTS Report and Order that modified the Commission’s technical rules . The modifications were designed to promote expanded use of distributed transmission systems (DTS) by broadcast television stations . The NAB and broadcasters had requested the changes to help broadcasters speed up the deployment of NextGen TV services and the development of data services .

Microsoft filed a petition in March of 2021 asking the FCC to reconsider that decision because the order would hurt their Airband Initiative to use TV white spaces to provide broadband services in rural areas. It "needlessly worsens an already-difficult environment" for TV white spaces deployments, the filing noted.

The NAB responded with a May 25, 2021 blog post by NAB deputy general counsel Patrick McFadden blasting Microsoft's efforts to get the FCC to revise the January 2021 ruling, calling Microsoft's Airband Initiative "hot air" and a heavily hyped solution to the rural broadband gap that has not lived up to its promises.

Later in a August 3 filing with the FCC, APTS and the NAB continued their opposition to Microsoft, arguing that “Microsoft’s petition presents no legitimate case for reconsideration and the Commission should promptly deny it.”

On August 5, 2024, the FCC reported that “Microsoft filed a request for withdrawal of the Petition stating that it is `no longer pursuing or advocating for the matters raised in the Petition’ and that the Petition may be dismissed.”

In response, the FCC ordered that “the request for withdrawal filed by Microsoft Corporation IS GRANTED, and the petition for reconsideration filed by Microsoft Corporation IS DISMISSED without prejudice. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that, should no petitions for reconsideration or petitions for judicial review be timely filed, MB Docket No. 20-74 SHALL BE TERMINATED and its docket closed.”