The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is exploring a draft proposal to potentially eliminate mandatory simulcasting obligations for television broadcasters as they transition to ATSC 3.0. This initiative has received cautious support from various industry organizations, although some broadcasters had hoped for the establishment of definitive transition deadlines, which the plan currently lacks.
The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) has acknowledged the commission’s October notice of proposed rulemaking as "an important inflection point," while emphasizing the critical need for regulatory certainty. In February 2025, NAB had formally requested the FCC to implement mandatory conversion deadlines, specifically February 2028 for stations in the top 55 markets and February 2030 for the remaining stations. However, the commission's proposal leans towards maintaining a voluntary, market-driven approach.
Alex Siciliano, NAB senior vice president of communications, noted in an Oct. 9 blog post that “The FCC’s draft notice comes on the heels of new investment in ATSC 3.0 across the government and industry.” He highlighted a $744,000 Department of Transportation contract awarded to NAB for field testing of Broadcast Positioning System technology, which utilizes NextGen TV signals to enhance GPS.
Under the proposed approach, broadcasters would have the discretion to discontinue ATSC 1.0 transmissions. Also, the existing requirements mandating substantial similarity between programming on both formats will be removed. According to NAB, over 125 stations across 77 markets, covering approximately 75 percent of U.S. households, are currently broadcasting using the ATSC 3.0 standard.
Pearl TV, a consortium instrumental in developing the ATSC 3.0 standard and coordinating market launches since the FCC authorized the technology in 2017, views the proposal as confirmation that the transition has reached its final stage. Anne Schelle, the organization’s managing director, stated, “Pearl TV and the local broadcasters commend FCC Chairman Carr for launching a new proceeding on NextGen TV that signals to the consumer technology industry, broadcasters and consumers that the final transition to next-generation broadcasting is underway.”
Schelle highlighted the standard’s potential to bolster local broadcasting’s competitive position against streaming platforms while simultaneously enhancing emergency alerting and public safety communications. Pearl TV has actively collaborated with broadcasters on market deployments and engaged with device manufacturers to develop features leveraging the standard’s capabilities.
The ATSC, the standards development organization responsible for the technical specifications, has adopted a measured perspective on the proceeding. Madeleine Noland, ATSC president, expressed that the organization considers the proposal as a catalyst for necessary conversations about accelerating the transition, while maintaining the group’s policy-neutral stance. “ATSC believes it’s good that conversations are underway and that the next phase of the transition is about to begin,” Noland said. “While ATSC doesn’t advocate for specific positions, we remain focused on developing and promoting the best possible next-generation broadcast system for the United States and around the world.”
The proposal leaves several intricate technical and policy questions unanswered. The commission is seeking feedback on various aspects, including whether to mandate ATSC 3.0 tuners in television sets, how to address digital rights management encryption that has rendered signals inaccessible on certain certified devices, and whether to extend must-carry obligations to ATSC 3.0 transmissions.
Furthermore, the notice requests information on accessibility requirements, consumer equipment subsidy programs, and whether minimum broadcast service standards should specify what portion of spectrum must be allocated to free over-the-air programming versus datacasting or other services enabled by the standard’s internet protocol architecture.
Importantly, the proceeding does not propose specific transition deadlines, but instead seeks input on “whether there should be an eventual sunset of 1.0 broadcasting and if so, whether the sunset of 1.0 should be tied to a date certain or specific market conditions.” Public comment deadlines will be set 60 days after Federal Register publication for initial comments and 90 days for replies. The commission is scheduled to vote on the proposal at the end of October.