Charter and Advance/Newhouse lost their appeal to overturn an FCC order requiring cable operators to only deploy set-top boxes with a CableCARD or similar external security element after July 1. Now, the cable industry is hanging its hopes on 2 pending petitions at the FCC to eliminate the ban for low-cost boxes, or delay the ban until 2009 or until a less expensive downloadable security solution is available. "It’s unfortunate that the court didn’t act to spare consumers the enormous cost of the integration ban," a Charter spokeswoman said of the US Court of Appeals in D.C.’s Fri ruling. "However, the court relied in part on the FCC’s promise to consider granting waivers for low-cost set-top boxes and eliminating or delaying the ban in light of cable’s progress on downloadable security." NCTA took a similar stance, pointing to the court’s observation that cable progress on downloadable security "may moot this entire controversy." Of course, CEA was positively giddy about the court’s denial. CEA’s interpretation: the opinion cites overwhelming evidence of cable’s refusal to support consumers with CableCARDs. "The District Court finally said ‘enough is enough,’" CEA pres/CEO Gary Shapiro said.

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Tuesday–March 2

MobiTV Layoffs

Last week, ahead of its voluntary Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing, MobiTV laid off an unspecified number of employees. The pink slips follow another round of layoffs over the summer. MobiTV confirmed the latest

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