We Can All Agree on the Need for a Balanced Spectrum Policy
In an era of sharply divided views, it’s refreshing to see policymakers of all political stripes line up behind the idea that responding to this country’s mobile broadband needs requires the right balance of licensed and unlicensed spectrum. At a recent Senate Commerce Hearing on FCC nominations, many participants recognized the need for additional spectrum to support growing demand for mobile broadband. Several specifically pointed out the need for a balance of licensed and unlicensed spectrum to ensure that diverse services and business models in the wireless space all continue to thrive
New Data Shows Vast Majority of Evening Internet Traffic is From Streaming Media
Sandvine, a network policy company known for their deep research and insight into internet trends, recently released the 2016 Global Internet Phenomena Report. Among the many revealing broadband stats was one number that crystalizes just how significantly streaming content has changed how we use the internet. According to Sandvine, 71 percent of all evening internet traffic in North America is streaming audio or video content. This means that from a data volume perspective, Netflix, Hulu, Spotify, YouTube, and dozens of other popular streaming media sites are responsible for the vast bulk of
Voluntary Set-Top Box Energy Agreement Leads to Billions in Energy Savings
Though sometimes it feels like it happened overnight, the digital revolution, the profound shift in how we use technology to connect, learn, and entertain ourselves, took decades. Thousands of cycles of research, development, deployment, and adoption have delivered us an unlimited selection of devices that enable us to do just about anything we can imagine – from watching TV in our living room to watching our pets from afar, or using voice control to order groceries or order new seasons of our favorite show. But just below the surface of these culture-altering devices and services lies a
Majority of US Households Use a Streaming Video Service
The emergence of subscription video on-demand (SVOD) has revolutionized the way Americans view television. Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, and other services put consumers in control of what, when, and where they watch. Within the past few years, SVOD’s have seen a vast increase in popularity. A staggering 64 percent of Americans now have at least one SVOD subscription, compared to 47 percent in 2014. Netflix continues to be the most popular service, with 83 percent of users having a subscription. The rise of SVOD services has helped television become more accessible. Families are no longer
Game of Thrones, Breaker of Records
It may not feel like it outside, but the long summer is over and winter is here. Game of Thrones fans tuned into the show’s eagerly awaited seventh season two weeks ago in record numbers. At 16.1 million live viewers, the episode beat the HBO record for a season premiere. That’s more than the population of New York, LA, and Chicago combined. The old record for a premiere audience, you may have guessed, was also held by Thrones for last season’s debut, which brought in 10.7 million live viewers. Keep in mind that last season started much earlier in the spring months when television audiences
America's Competitive TV and Internet Markets
In 1992, 98 percent of American homes relied on cable to watch subscription TV. There were no satellite TV options or telco-provided TV options. There certainly weren’t internet streaming options because, among other reasons, broadband wouldn’t be launched for another four years. It would be a full decade after that before a video streaming service would be made available. 25 years later, the TV marketplace is undeniably different. Technologies like cloud DVRs, apps, and TV Everywhere have transformed the way we watch television. Many of the best content creators are choosing TV to tell their
Our Comments to the FCC on Restoring Internet Freedom
Yesterday, NCTA submitted comments to the FCC in its docket on Restoring Internet Freedom. The comments reaffirm NCTA’s longstanding commitment to core open internet principles that ensure that all consumers can enjoy free and unimpeded access to the lawful internet content of their choosing. Those core principles, which have evolved from the four internet freedoms first articulated by then-FCC Chairman Michael Powell in 2004, ensure transparency, no blocking, no throttling, and no anticompetitive paid prioritization – all of which have been consistently embraced and adhered to by NCTA and its
Collaborating Across the Entire Internet Ecosystem to Defeat Botnets
A May 2017 executive order – Strengthening the Cybersecurity of Federal Networks and Critical Infrastructure – tasked the Departments of Commerce and Homeland Security to lead an open and transparent process to identify ways to improve the resilience of the internet and communications ecosystem, and reduce threats perpetuated by botnets, particularly distributed denial of service (DDOS) attacks. In support of this order, both the National Telecommunications and Information Agency (NTIA) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) are soliciting public input. Last week NIST
Cable Networks Lead the Pack for Emmy Nominations
The 69th Primetime Emmy nominations were announced yesterday and once again cable programming is the juggernaut, receiving a total of 315 nominations. HBO alone brought in 110 nominations. Westworld leads the way with the most nominations of any show (22). Ryan Murphy’s latest project on FX FEUD: Bette and Joan was the next most decorated program, raking in 18 nominations alone. The nominations also reflect new trends in powerful storytelling; the Limited Series category this year is packed with star-studded projects such as Big Little Lies, FEUD: Bette and Joan, and Fargo. In fact, every
What We All Share on the Day of Action
Tomorrow, a number of internet companies and net neutrality interest groups are participating in a highly publicized “Day of Action”. This was organized in reaction to the FCC proceeding that proposes to reverse the former FCC’s decision to impose heavy internet regulations (Title II) on network providers and return to the highly successful light-touch regulatory structure (Title I) that governed the internet for decades. In the opinion of the Day of Action organizers, reversing Title II threatens the net neutrality principles that today govern the internet; namely, that internet providers