A House of Representatives subcommittee approved a bill that would remove local video franchising requirements and in place establish a national system for telecommunication companies to begin offering IPTV service.
After the mark up process, the telecommunications subcommittee approved the measure to pass onto the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. The bill is expected to make it through the committee and win approval from the full House.
The bill would grant new video service providers, such as the telcos, a 10-year national license without requiring them to fully build out their systems. Cable companies were also granted a way to move from local to national franchising.
