[Federal Register: December 8, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 235)]
[Notices]
[Page 68391-68392]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr08de03-77]
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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
Notice of Public Information Collection(s) Being Reviewed by the
Federal Communications Commission, Comments Requested
November 28, 2003.
SUMMARY: The Federal Communications Commission, as part of its
continuing effort to reduce paperwork burden invites the general public
and other
[[Page 68392]]
Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on the following
information collection(s), as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act
(PRA) of 1995, Public Law 104-13. An agency may not conduct or sponsor
a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid
control number. No person shall be subject to any penalty for failing
to comply with a collection of information subject to the Paperwork
Reduction Act that does not display a valid control number. Comments
are requested concerning (a) whether the proposed collection of
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of
the Commission, including whether the information shall have practical
utility; (b) the accuracy of the Commission's burden estimate; (c) ways
to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information
collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of
information on the respondents, including the use of automated
collection techniques or other forms of information technology.
DATES: Written Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) comments should be
submitted on or before February 6, 2004. If you anticipate that you
will be submitting comments, but find it difficult to do so within the
period of time allowed by this notice, you should advise the contact
listed below as soon as possible.
ADDRESSES: Direct all Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) comments to Les
Smith, Federal Communications Commission, Room 1-A804, 445 12th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20554, or via the Internet to Leslie.Smith@fcc.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information or copies
of the information collection(s), contact Les Smith at (202) 418-0217 or via the Internet at Leslie.Smith@fcc.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
OMB Control Number: 3060-1032.
Title: Commercial Availability of Navigation Devices and
Compatibility Between Cable Systems and Consumer Electronics Equipment,
CS Docket No. 97-80 and PP Docket No. 00-67.
Form Number: N/A.
Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities.
Number of Respondents: 563.
Estimated Time Per Response: 30 seconds to 40 hours.
Frequency of Response: Recordkeeping; On occasion reporting
requirements; Third party disclosure.
Total Annual Burden: 72,402 hours.
Total Annual Costs: None.
Needs and Uses: In its earlier Further Notice of Proposed
Rulemaking (``FNPRM''), Commercial Availability of Navigation Devices
and Compatibility Between Cable Systems and Consumer Electronic
Equipment, CS Docket No. 97-80 and PP Docket No. 00-67, the FCC sought
comment on a Memorandum of Understanding Among Cable MSOs and Consumer
Electronics Manufacturers (``MOU'') filed on December 19, 2002, by
members of the Consumer Electronics Association (``CEA'') and the
National Cable and Telecommunications Association (``NCTA''). The MOU
was a result of inter-industry discussions seeking to establish a so-
called ``cable plug and play'' standard that will ensure the
compatibility of cable television systems with DTV receivers and
related consumer electronics equipment. The standard will allow
consumers to directly attach their DTV receivers to cable systems and
receive cable television services without the need for an external
navigation device. The compromise reached in the MOU, as detailed in
the FNPRM, required the consumer electronics and cable television
industries to commit to certain voluntary acts and sought the adoption
of various Commission rules. In a Second Report and Order and Second
Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, the Commission adopted final
rules that set technical and other criteria that manufacturers would
have to meet in order to label or market unidirectional digital cable
televisions and other unidirectional digital cable products as
``digital cable ready.'' This regime includes testing and self-
certification standards, certification recordkeeping requirements, and
consumer information disclosures in appropriate post-sale materials
that describe the functionality of these devices and the need to obtain
a security module from their cable operator. To the extent
manufacturers have complaints regarding the certification process, they
may file formal complaints with the Commission. In addition, should
manufacturers have complaints regarding administration of the DFAST
license which governs the scrambling technology needed to build
unidirectional digital cable products, they may also file complaints
with the FCC. The Order also prohibits MVPDs from encoding content to
activate selectable output controls on unidirectional digital cable
products, or the down-resolution of unencrypted broadcast television
programming. MVPDs are also limited in the levels of copy protection
that could be applied to various categories of programming. As a part
of these encoding rules is a petition process for new services within
existing business models, a PR Newswire Notice relating to initial
classification of new business models, and a complaints process for
disputes regarding new business models.
Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene H. Dortch,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 03-30311 Filed 12-5-03; 8:45 am]
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