E6-19041. Notice of Public Information Collection(s) Being Reviewed by the Federal Communications Commission, Comments Requested

November 3, 2006.

SUMMARY:

The Federal Communications Commission, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burden invites the general public and other 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 January 16, 2007. 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 Cathy Williams, Federal Communications Commission, Room 1-C823, 445 12th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20554 or via the Internet to [e-mail].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

For additional information or copies of the information collection(s), contact Cathy Williams at [phone] or via the Internet at [e-mail].

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: Not applicable.

Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.

Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities.

Number of Respondents: 611.

Estimated Time per Response: 30 seconds-40 hours.

Frequency of Response: Recordkeeping requirement; On occasion reporting requirement; Third party disclosure requirement.

Total Annual Burden: 97,928 hours.

Total Annual Cost: None.

Privacy Impact Assessment: No impact(s).

Needs and Uses: On March 17, 2005, the FCC released a Second Report and Order (2005 Deferral Order), In the Matter of Implementation of Section 304 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, Commercial Availability of Navigation Devices, CS Docket No. 97-80, FCC 05-76, in which the Commission set forth reporting requirements for certain cable providers, the National Cable and Telecommunications Association (NCTA), and the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA). The cable providers are responsible for filing status reports regarding deployment and support of point of deployment modules, more commonly known as CableCARDs. The NCTA and CEA are required to file status reports to keep the FCC abreast of negotiations over bidirectional support and software-based security solutions for digital cable products available at retail.

On October 9, 2003, the FCC released the Second Report and Order and Second Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (2nd R&O), In the Matter of Implementation of Section 304 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, Commercial Availability of Navigation Devices, Compatibility Between Cable Systems and Consumer Electronics Equipment, CS Docket No. 97-80, PP Docket No. 00-67, FCC 03-225, 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 Dynamic Feedback Arrangement Scrambling Technique or DFAST license which governs the scrambling technology needed to build unidirectional digital cable products, they may also file complaints with the FCC. The 2nd R&O 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.