The following statement is attributed to Gigi B. Sohn, president and co-founder of Public Knowledge:
“We are disappointed that the Media Bureau granted the waivers for low-end set-top boxes, which lock in advantages the cable companies already have while offering consumers set-top boxes with fewer features than they might otherwise get in an open market.
“The larger issue is whether the Commission is doing what Congress required back in 1996, when the Telecom Act promised an open, competitive market for full-featured set-top boxes. That vision would have given consumers more choices and more features. It’s that goal to which the Commission should aspire, rather than continually lowering the bar through the waiver process.”
The Bureau’s order is here
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