Reuters: Consumers to get choice of set-top boxes

Thanks to David
Stoner for this link.

“Federal regulators Thursday adopted a compromise to speed
competition for new high-tech cable boxes…”

“Consumers will gain set-top box choices starting next year,
when, instead of being required to pay $2 or $3 a month from their
local cable company to lease a box, they will be able to walk into
a neighborhood electronics store and purchase their own
equipment.”

“The key to the new boxes will be a separate plug-in security
module that cable operators will be required to provide to allow
the equipment to operate.”

‘Under rules required by the 1996 Telecommunications Act and
adopted by the FCC last year, cable operators must provide separate
security modules for boxes bought in retail stores by July of next
year.”

Complete story.