Cable Encryption and Clear QAM
Clear QAM used to be a reliable way to watch local stations in HD from a cable outlet with nothing more than a TV. Today most large cable systems encrypt every channel. This page explains the rule that once kept the basic tier in the clear, why the FCC changed it, and what operators had to offer in return.
The old rule: no encryption of the basic tier
Under Section 624A of the Communications Act, added by the Cable Television Consumer Protection and Competition Act, the FCC adopted rules on compatibility between cable systems and consumer equipment. One of those rules, 47 CFR 76.630(a), barred cable operators from scrambling or encrypting signals carried on the basic service tier. The basic tier is where local broadcast stations and public, educational and government channels are carried, so a TV with a QAM tuner could usually receive those channels digitally without a box.
What the FCC changed
In its Basic Service Tier Encryption Report and Order (FCC 12-126), the FCC lifted the ban for all-digital cable systems, meaning systems that no longer carry analog channels. The FCC's reasons were practical:
- Operators could activate and deactivate service remotely instead of sending a technician to install or remove filters.
- Fewer truck rolls would mean less cost, less traffic and a smaller environmental impact.
- Encryption makes theft of cable service harder.
The order was about encryption on systems that had already gone all-digital. It did not require operators to drop analog channels, although the FCC noted that converting to all-digital frees capacity for more HD channels and faster internet service. Claims that the change was mainly about eliminating analog TV are inaccurate.
Consumer protections in the order
To soften the impact, the FCC required operators that encrypt the basic tier to offer temporary free equipment, either a set-top box or a CableCARD, to existing customers affected by the change:
| Customer | Free equipment |
|---|---|
| Subscribes to basic service only and uses a TV without an operator box | Up to two TVs, for two years |
| Subscribes to a higher tier but has an additional TV without an operator box | One TV, for one year |
| Basic-only subscriber receiving Medicaid | Up to two TVs, for five years |
Operators had to notify affected customers 30 days before encrypting, and the free equipment had to be requested within a window around the switch. These protections were temporary and have long since run out for customers affected when their systems first encrypted.
What about third-party tuners?
Network tuners and media devices that relied on clear QAM stood to lose local channels. To address this, the six largest incumbent cable operators at the time (Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Cox, Charter, Cablevision and Bright House) committed, before encrypting, to support IP-enabled clear QAM devices in one of two ways:
- Offer a set-top box or adapter that sends the basic-tier channels to retail devices over a standard home network connection, such as DLNA over Ethernet or Wi-Fi.
- Make security technology available under license so that retail devices can decode basic-tier channels without extra equipment.
The FCC set these commitments to end three years after the order unless extended. The approach grew out of an agreement between Comcast and Boxee. See Boxee and Comcast.
Where things stand
Encryption is now the norm on large cable systems, and many cable companies are moving channels toward IP delivery through their own apps and boxes. Retail tuners still work with any channels that remain unencrypted, and with free over-the-air TV. If you are deciding what to buy, start with Clear QAM to see whether your system has any clear channels, then read Choosing a TV Tuner.
Sources
- FCC 12-126, Basic Service Tier Encryption Report and Order
- FCC consumer guide: Cable System Encryption
- FCC: Commission Relaxes Cable Encryption Prohibition
- eCFR: 47 CFR 76.630, Compatibility with consumer electronics equipment