2010-28525. Notice of Public Information Collection(s) Being Reviewed by the Federal Communications Commission, Comments Requested

November 2, 2010.

SUMMARY:

As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burden and as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520), the Federal Communications Commission invites the general public and other Federal agencies to comment on the following information collection(s). 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; (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, and (e) ways to further reduce the information collection burden for small business concerns with fewer than 25 employees. The FCC may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB 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 OMB control number.

DATES:

Written PRA comments should be submitted on or before January 11, 2011. 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 PRA comments to Nicholas A. Fraser, Office of Management and Budget, via fax at [phone] or via e-mail to [e-mail] and to the Federal Communications Commission via e-mail to [e-mail] and [e-mail].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

For additional information about the information collection(s), contact Cathy Williams at [phone] or send an e-mail to [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

OMB Control Number: 3060-0652.

Title: Section 76.309, Customer Service Obligations; Section 76.1602; Customer Service—General Information; Section 76.1603, Customer Service—Rate and Service Changes—General Information, and Section 76.1619, Information on Subscriber Bills.

Form Number: Not applicable.

Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.

Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities; State, Local or Tribal Government.

Number of Respondents and Responses: 8,260 respondents and 117,510 responses.

Estimated Time per Response: 10 minutes to 1 hour.

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

Total Annual Burden: 29,235 hours.

Total Annual Cost: None.

Privacy Impact Assessment: No impact(s).

Nature of Response: Required to obtain or retain benefits. The statutory authority for this collection is contained in Sections 4(i) and 632 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended.

Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: There is no need for confidentiality with this collection of information.

Needs and Uses: 47 CFR 76.309 and 47 CFR 76.1603 set forth various customer service obligations and notification requirements for changes in rates, programming services and channel positions.

47 CFR 76.1602(a) states that franchise authorities must provide affected cable operators 90 days written notice of their intent to enforce customer services standards.

47 CFR 76.1603(b) states that customers will be notified of any changes in rates, programming services or channel positions as soon as possible in writing. Notice must be given to subscribers a minimum of thirty (30) days in advance of such changes if the change is within the control of the cable operator. In addition, the cable operator shall notify subscribers 30 days in advance of any significant changes in the other information required by Section 76.1602.

47 CFR 76.1603(c) states that in addition to the requirement set forth in Section 76.1603(b) regarding advance notification to customers of any changes in rates, programming services or channel positions, cable systems shall give 30 days written notice to both subscribers and local franchising authorities before implementing any rate or service change. Such notice shall state the precise amount of any rate change and briefly explain in readily understandable fashion the cause of the rate change (e.g. inflation, changes in external costs or the addition/deletion of channels). When the change involves the addition or deletion of channels, each channel added or deleted must be separately identified.

47 CFR 76.1619(b) states that in case of a billing dispute, the cable operator must respond to a written complaint from a subscriber within 30 days. In addition, Section 76.1619 sets forth requirements for information on subscriber bills.

OMB Control Number: 3060-0667.

Title: Section 76.630 Compatibility with Consumer Electronic Equipment; Section 76.1621 Equipment compatibility offer; Section 76.1622 Consumer Education of Equipment Compatibility.

From Number: N/A.

Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.

Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities.

Number of Respondents and Responses: 8,250 respondents and 266,505 responses.

Estimated Hours per Response: 1-3 hours.

Frequency of Response: Recordkeeping and third party disclosure requirements; On occasion reporting requirement.

Total Annual Burden: 266,515 hours.

Total Annual Cost: $5,800.

Privacy Impact Assessment: No impact(s).

Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. The statutory authority for this collection is contained in Section 4(i) and 632 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended.

Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: There is no need for confidentiality with this collection of information.

Needs and Uses: 47 CFR 76.630(a) states a cable system operator shall not scramble or otherwise encrypt signals carried on the basic service tier. Requests for waivers of this prohibition must demonstrate either a substantial problem with theft of basic tier service or a strong need to scramble basic signals for other reasons. As part of this showing, cable operators are required to notify subscribers by mail of waiver requests. The notice to subscribers must be mailed no later than thirty calendar days from the date the request waiver was filed with the Commission, and cable operators must inform the Commission in writing, as soon as possible, of that notification date. The notification to subscribers must state: On (date waiver request was filed with the Commission), (cable operator's name) filed with the Federal Communications Commission a request for waiver of the rule prohibiting scrambling of channels on the basic tier of service. 47 CFR 76.630(a). The request for waiver states (a brief summary of the waiver request). A copy of the request for waiver is on file for public inspection at (the address of the cable operator's local place of business).

Individuals who wish to comment on this request for waiver should mail comments to the Federal Communications Commission by no later than 30 days from (the date the notification was mailed to subscribers). Those comments should be addressed to the: Federal Communications Commission, Media Bureau, Washington, DC 20554, and should include the name of the cable operator to whom the comments are applicable. Individuals should also send a copy of their comments to (the cable operator at its local place of business). Cable operators may file comments in reply no later than 7 days from the date subscriber comments must be filed.

47 CFR 76.1621 states that cable system operators that use scrambling, encryption or similar technologies in conjunction with cable system terminal devices, as defined in § 15.3(e) of this chapter, that may affect subscribers' reception of signals shall offer to supply each subscriber with special equipment that will enable the simultaneous reception of multiple signals. The equipment offered shall include a single terminal device with dual descramblers/decoders and/or timers and bypass switches. Other equipment, such as two independent set-top terminal devices may be offered at the same time that the single terminal device with dual tuners/descramblers is offered. For purposes of this rule, two set-top devices linked by a control system that provides functionality equivalent to that of a single device with dual descramblers is considered to be the same as a terminal device with dual descramblers/decoders.

(a) The offer of special equipment shall be made to new subscribers at the time they subscribe and to all subscribers at least once each year.

(b) Such special equipment shall, at a minimum, have the capability:

(1) To allow simultaneous reception of any two scrambled or encrypted signals and to provide for tuning to alternative channels on a pre-programmed schedule; and

(2) To allow direct reception of all other signals that do not need to be processed through descrambling or decryption circuitry (this capability can generally be provided through a separate by-pass switch or through internal by-pass circuitry in a cable system terminal device).

(c) Cable system operators shall determine the specific equipment needed by individual subscribers on a case-by-case basis, in consultation with the subscriber. Cable system operators are required to make a good faith effort to provide subscribers with the amount and types of special equipment needed to resolve their individual compatibility problems.

(d) Cable operators shall provide such equipment at the request of individual subscribers and may charge for purchase or lease of the equipment and its installation in accordance with the provisions of the rate regulation rules for customer premises equipment used to receive the basic service tier, as set forth in § 76.923. Notwithstanding the required annual offering, cable operators shall respond to subscriber requests for special equipment for reception of multiple signals that are made at any time.

47 CFR 76.1622 states that Cable system operators shall provide a consumer education program on compatibility matters to their subscribers in writing, as follows:

(a) The consumer information program shall be provided to subscribers at the time they first subscribe and at least once a year thereafter. Cable operators may choose the time and means by which they comply with the annual consumer information requirement. This requirement may be satisfied by a once-a-year mailing to all subscribers. The information may be included in one of the cable system's regular subscriber billings.

(b) The consumer information program shall include the following information:

(1) Cable system operators shall inform their subscribers that some models of TV receivers and videocassette recorders may not be able to receive all of the channels offered by the cable system when connected directly to the cable system. In conjunction with this information, cable system operators shall briefly explain, the types of channel compatibility problems that could occur if subscribers connected their equipment directly to the cable system and offer suggestions for resolving those problems. Such suggestions could include, for example, the use of a cable system terminal device such as a set-top channel converter. Cable system operators shall also indicate that channel compatibility problems associated with reception of programming that is not scrambled or encrypted programming could be resolved through use of simple converter devices without descrambling or decryption capabilities that can be obtained from either the cable system or a third party retail vendor.

(2) In cases where service is received through a cable system terminal device, cable system operators shall indicate that subscribers may not be able to use special features and functions of their TV receivers and videocassette recorders, including features that allow the subscriber to: View a program on one channel while simultaneously recording a program on another channel; record two or more consecutive programs that appear on different channels; and, use advanced picture generation and display features such as “Picture-in-Picture,” channel review and other functions that necessitate channel selection by the consumer device.

(3) In cases where cable system operators offer remote control capability with cable system terminal devices and other customer premises equipment that is provided to subscribers, they shall advise their subscribers that remote control units that are compatible with that equipment may be obtained from other sources, such as retail outlets. Cable system operators shall also provide a representative list of the models of remote control units currently available from retailers that are compatible with the customer premises equipment they employ. Cable system operators are required to make a good faith effort in compiling this list and will not be liable for inadvertent omissions. This list shall be current as of no more than six months before the date the consumer education program is distributed to subscribers. Cable operators are also required to encourage subscribers to contact the cable operator to inquire about whether a particular remote control unit the subscriber might be considering for purchase would be compatible with the subscriber's customer premises equipment.

OMB Control Number: 3060-0960.

Title: 47 CFR 76.122, Satellite Network Non-duplication Protection Rules; 47 CFR 76.123, Satellite Syndicated Program Exclusivity Rules; 47 CFR 76.124, Requirements for Invocation of Non-duplication and Syndicated Exclusivity Protection; 47 CFR 76.127, Satellite Sports Blackout Rules.

Form Number: Not applicable.

Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.

Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities.

Number of Respondents and Responses: 12,686 respondents and 12,402 responses.

Estimated Time per Response: 0.5-1 hour.

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

Total Annual Burden: 12,402 hours.

Total Annual Costs: None.

Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. The statutory authority for this collection is contained in Sections 4(i), 4(j), 303(r), 339 and 340 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended.

Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: There is no need for confidentiality with this collection of information.

Privacy Impact Assessment: No impact(s).

Needs and Uses: 47 CFR 76.122, 76.123, 76.124 and 76.127 are used to protect exclusive contract rights negotiated between broadcasters, distributors, and rights holders for the transmission of network, syndicated, and sports programming in the broadcasters' recognized market areas. Rule sections 76.122 and 76.123 implement statutory requirements to provide rights for in-market stations to assert non-duplication and exclusivity rights.

Federal Communications Commission.

Marlene H. Dortch,

Secretary.