The Federal Communications Commission has taken a number of steps which could eventually benefit consumers by making it easier to navigate smart video devices, gain additional “roaming” access for wireless devices, and getting broadband service into areas that currently don’t have it.

Among the actions taken by the agency at it’s regular monthly meeting this week:

• Approved a Notice of Inquiry seeking input on ways to foster a more competitive marketplace for navigation devices and. in particular, calls for comment on a standardized interface that enables smart video devices to bring video from cable, the Internet, DVD and over-the-air sources together for ease of selection, recording, and viewing. The standardized interface could be implemented through an adapter that would act as an intermediary between the consumer’s device and cable service. The service provider would be free to innovate within its network to improve its services, without requiring replacement of the consumer’s home devices. And a consumer could switch from one provider to another and continue to use the same smart video devices.

• Opened a new phase in its examination of data roaming, seeking comment on whether to extend roaming obligations to data services such as mobile broadband and Internet access services. A more detailed and updated record will assist the commission in developing policies for broadband data roaming that can encourage carriers to build out new networks and better ensure that consumers have access to mobile data networks anywhere in the United States.

• An Order on Reconsideration expanding the availability of mobile voice services by eliminating a home roaming exclusion the agency found in many circumstances discouraged, rather than encouraged, facilities-based competition. By eliminating the exclusion, the Order encourages carriers of all sizes to reach commercially reasonable voice roaming agreements, and promotes competition, fosters innovation and empowers consumers, while creating a fair process for the commission to handle disputes that may arise in an expedited and equitable manner.

• Asked for public comment on the use of an economic model to precisely target support for areas where there is no private-sector business case for carriers to provide broadband and voice services. A “Connect America Fund” (CAF) would be created that directly supports broadband without increasing the size of the Universal Service Fund over the current baseline projection. The economic model developed in the recently unveiled National Broadband Plan estimates the gap between the cost of deploying broadband services to Americans living in unserved areas and the potential additional revenue generated from the broadband investment.

For the most part, the agency’s actions this week were just first steps in very ambitious initiatives, but all were very important first steps.

Our hope is that the agency will move as quickly as possible to refine and implement these initiatives so they can begin to benefit consumers.