[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 235 (Monday, December 8, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 68391-68392]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-30311]


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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 [email protected].

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 [email protected].

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]
BILLING CODE 6712-10-P