Tom Wheeler fires back at cable lobby, says cable box fees are too high

FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler. (credit: NCTA)

As cable industry lobbyists criticize a Federal Communications Commission plan to inject competition into the set-top box market, FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler today said cable company complaints are off-base.

Since becoming FCC chairman in 2013, Wheeler has repeatedly battled the cable industry even though he himself was once a cable lobbyist.

Wheeler's latest plan would force pay-TV companies to make video programming available to makers of third-party hardware or software without requiring a physical CableCard. This would let consumers watch the TV channels they pay for on other devices without having to rent a set-top box from the cable company.