[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 95 (Wednesday, May 18, 2005)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 28503-28505]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-9823]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

47 CFR Part 73

[ET Docket No. 05-182; FCC 05-94]


Technical Standards for Satellite-Delivered Network Signals

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Proposed rule; Notice of inquiry.

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[[Page 28504]]

SUMMARY: This document begins an inquiry into the adequacy of the 
digital signal strength standard and testing procedures used to 
determine whether households are eligible to receive distant broadcast 
digital television (DTV) network signals from satellite communications 
providers. We request comment and information on whether the existing 
statutes and/or regulations concerning the digital television signal 
strength standard and testing procedures as used for identifying if 
households are unserved by local network TV signals for purposes of 
determining eligibility to receive distant signals from satellite 
services need to be revised.

DATES: Comments must be filed on or before June 17, 2005, and reply 
comments must be filed on or before July 5, 2005.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by (ET Docket No. 05-
182) by any of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
     Federal Communications Commission's Web Site: http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/ecfs/. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
     People with Disabilities: Contact the FCC to request 
reasonable accommodations (accessible format documents, sign language 
interpreters, CART, etc.) by e-mail: [email protected] or phone: 202-418-
0530 or TTY: 202-418-0432.
    For detailed instructions for submitting comments and additional 
information on the rulemaking process, see the SUPPLEMENTARY 
INFORMATION section of this document.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: David Sturdivant, Office of 
Engineering and Technology, (202) 418-1227, e-mail: 
[email protected], TTY (202) 418-2989.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a summary of the Commission's Notice 
of Inquiry (NOI), ET Docket No. 05-182, FCC 05-94, adopted April 29, 
2005, and released May 3, 2005. The full text of this document is 
available for inspection and copying during normal business hours in 
the FCC Reference Center (Room CY-A257), 445 12th Street, SW., 
Washington, DC 20554. The complete text of this document also may be 
purchased from the Commission's copy contractor, Best Copy and 
Printing, Inc. (BCPI), 445 12th Street, SW., Room CY-B402, Washington, 
DC 20554. The full text may also be downloaded at: http://www.fcc.gov. 
Alternate formats are available to persons with disabilities at TTY 
(202) 418-7365.
    Pursuant to Sec. Sec.  1.415 and 1.419 of the Commission's rules, 
47 CFR 1.415, 1.419, interested parties may file comments on or before 
June 17, 2005, and reply comments on or before July 5, 2005. Comments 
may be filed using the Commission's Electronic Comment Filing System 
(ECFS) or by filing paper copies. See Electronic Filing of Documents in 
Rulemaking Proceedings, 63 FR 24121, May 1, 1998. Comments filed 
through the ECFS can be sent as an electronic file via the Internet to 
http://www.fcc.gov/e-file/ecfs.html. Generally, only one copy of an 
electronic submission must be filed. If multiple docket or rulemaking 
numbers appear in the caption of this proceeding, however, commenters 
must transmit one electronic copy of the comments to each docket or 
rulemaking number referenced in the caption. In completing the 
transmittal screen, commenters should include their full name, U.S. 
Postal Service mailing address, and the applicable docket or rulemaking 
number. Parties may also submit an electronic comment by Internet e-
mail. To get filing instructions for e-mail comments, commenters should 
send an e-mail to [email protected], and should include the following words 
in the body of the message, ``get form .'' A 
sample form and directions will be sent in reply. Parties who choose to 
file by paper must file an original and four copies of each filing. If 
more than one docket or rulemaking number appears in the caption of 
this proceeding, commenters must submit two additional copies for each 
additional docket or rulemaking number.
    All filings must be addressed to the Commission's Secretary, Office 
of the Secretary, Federal Communications Commission. Filings can be 
sent by hand or messenger delivery, by commercial overnight courier, or 
by first-class or overnight U.S. Postal Service mail (although we 
continue to experience delays in receiving U.S. Postal Service mail). 
The Commission's contractor, Natek, Inc., will receive hand-delivered 
or messenger-delivered paper filings for the Commission's Secretary at 
236 Massachusetts Avenue, NE., Suite 110, Washington, DC 20002. The 
filing hours at this location are 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. All hand deliveries 
must be held together with rubber bands or fasteners. Any envelopes 
must be disposed of before entering the building. Commercial overnight 
mail (other than U.S. Postal Service Express Mail and Priority Mail) 
must be sent to 9300 East Hampton Drive, Capitol Heights, MD 20743. 
U.S. Postal Service first-class mail, Express mail, and Priority Mail 
should be addressed to 445 12th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20554.

Summary of Notice of Inquiry

    1. In accordance with The Satellite Home Viewer Extension and 
Reauthorization Act of 2004 (SHVERA) (Pub. L. 108-447, section 207, 118 
Stat. 2809, 3393 (2004) (to be codified at 47 U.S.C. 325), 204(b)) the 
Commission requests comment and information to assist us in determining 
if existing statutes and/or regulations that establish a television 
signal strength standard for identifying households that are unserved 
by local network TV signals are adequate for use in identifying 
household unserved by digital television broadcast signals (DTV). 
Households that are unserved by a local broadcast television station 
are eligible to receive distant network signals from satellite 
services. The Commission also requests comment on whether statutes and 
regulations need to be revised to take into account the types of 
antennas and receiving equipment that are available to consumers for 
reception of digital television signals. The record obtained through 
this inquiry will be used to prepare a report to Congress describing 
the results of this study and any changes that should be made to the 
applicable Federal statutes or regulations.
    2. This Inquiry will review current regulations that identify 
households that are unserved by a local analog broadcast television 
stations in order to determine if the regulations may be accurately 
applied to local digital broadcast stations for the same purpose. The 
Commission has been directed by SHVERA to review six specific factors 
related to determining if a household will be classified as unserved 
concerning the reception of digital television signals.
    3. We are requesting relevant technical information to determine if 
a new standard should account for the fact that an antenna can be 
mounted on a roof or placed in a home and whether the antenna will be 
placed in a fixed mounting or be capable of rotating. Information about 
the cost and the ease of deployment as well as the effects of the use 
of a rotor with the antenna should be included with comments.
    4. We will consider whether 47 CFR 73.686(d) should be amended to 
create different procedures for determining the requisite digital 
signal strength at a location. Portions of Sec.  73.686(d) require an 
individual conducting measurement of the television signal available in 
a specific location to utilize characteristics of an analog television

[[Page 28505]]

signal to complete the measurement. We request information regarding 
amending the rule so that it will be able to account for the 
measurement of digital television signals, such as where to tune and 
the proper setting for the i.f. bandwidth of the measurement equipment. 
The Commission will also consider a procedure for measuring signal 
intensity indoors along with criteria that would determine when an 
indoor or outdoor measurement should be performed.
    5. The Commission further asks if a standard that does not require 
the presence of a signal of a certain strength to ensure that a 
household can receive a high-quality picture using antennas of 
reasonable cost and ease of installation should be developed. Suggested 
standards should include sufficient information as to how the standard 
will insure that reception of service will occur and how the standard 
may be affected by currently available or soon-to-be available 
reception equipment.
    6. The Commission also seeks comment on whether to develop a 
predictive methodology for determining whether a household is unserved 
by an adequate digital signal under 17 U.S.C. 119(d)(10). We seek to 
determine if the modified Longley-Rice model, with appropriate 
modifications, would accurately predict digital signal coverage at a 
specific location, or whether there is some other predictive model that 
would be more appropriate for this purpose. Commenting parties are 
asked to propose specific modifications to the model and provide 
detailed analysis as to how the changes will result in a more accurate 
model when accounting for environmental features and possible signal 
interference. If an alternative model is suggested, we ask that it 
include specific technical information concerning its effectiveness in 
predicting DTV service at a location as well as information that will 
enable its use by the Commission.
    7. We request information as to whether there is a wide variation 
in the ability of reasonably priced consumer digital television sets to 
receive over-the-air signals, such that at a given signal strength some 
may be able to display high-quality pictures while others cannot, 
whether such variation is related to the price of the television set, 
and whether such variation should be factored into setting a standard 
for determining if a household is unserved by an adequate digital 
signal. Commenting parties should provide information regarding the 
sensitivity of various receivers and their interference rejection 
capability. We ask that these comments be accompanied by price data and 
analysis regarding the correlation between performance and price. We 
also ask if there are specific parameters that we should measure when 
performing our own analysis on the DTV receiving equipment. We ask if 
significant differences in digital receiver performance quality exist, 
should those differences be accounted for when determining whether a 
household is unserved by an adequate digital signal. If the Commenting 
parties recommend that digital receiver quality be a factor we ask that 
the parties provide detailed analysis and explain how receiver quality 
can be used in ascertaining whether a household is unserved. Finally, 
we ask how limitations in receivers can be mitigated through the use of 
higher performance antennas or auxiliary devices.
    8. Finally, we seek comment on whether to account for factors such 
as building loss, external interference sources, or undesired signals 
from both digital television and analog television stations using 
either the same or adjacent channels in nearby markets, foliage, and 
man-made clutter. In particular, interference from both co-channel and 
adjacent channel TV transmitters could cause interference to the 
desired signal and we ask for comment pertaining to this type of 
interference. We request comment on how well digital TV receivers and 
satellite set-top-boxes with built-in off-air receivers perform when 
contending with interference and should performance specifications be 
taken into account by the Commission in order to determine when a 
household is unserved by an adequate digital signal? Finally, what 
additional factors, if any, should be included when determining the 
availability of a DTV signal at an individual location?

Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene H. Dortch,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 05-9823 Filed 5-17-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P