An IVDS licensee may transmit information, product and service offerings to its subscribers and receive interactive responses. Potential applications include ordering goods or services offered by television services, viewer polling, remote meter reading, vending inventory control, and cable television theft deterrence.
Mobile operation is permitted.
An IVDS licensee can develop other applications consistent with the rules without Commission approval. An IVDS channel, however, is insufficient for the transmission of conventional full motion video. Two licenses per market were offered for auction at the same time, with the highest bidder given a choice between the two available licenses, and the second highest bidder winning the remaining license. Licenses have been granted to all of the IVDS bidders that satisfied the applicable payment deadlines. The FCC expects to conduct a future auction for licenses that authorize service in the 428 Rural Service Areas, and MSA licenses for which the bidders in the first auction did not satisfy applicable payment deadlines.