Goto Section: 76.617 | 76.640 | Table of Contents
FCC 76.630
Revised as of October 2, 2015
Goto Year:2014 |
2016
§ 76.630 Compatibility with consumer electronics equipment.
(a) Cable system operators shall not scramble or otherwise encrypt signals
delivered to a subscriber on the basic service tier.
(1) This prohibition shall not apply in systems in which:
(i) No encrypted signals are carried using the NTSC system; and
(ii) The cable system operator offers to its existing subscribers who
subscribe only to the basic service tier without use of a set-top box or
CableCARD at the time of encryption the equipment necessary to descramble or
decrypt the basic service tier signals (the subscriber's choice of a set-top
box or CableCARD) on up to two television sets without charge or service fee
for two years from the date encryption of the basic service tier commences;
and
(iii) The cable system operator offers to its existing subscribers who
subscribe to a level of service above “basic only” but use a digital
television or other device with a clear-QAM tuner to receive only the basic
service tier without use of a set-top box or CableCARD at the time of
encryption, the equipment necessary to descramble or decrypt the basic
service tier signals (the subscriber's choice of a set-top box or CableCARD)
on one television set without charge or service fee for one year from the
date encryption of the basic service tier commences; and
(iv) The cable system operator offers to its existing subscribers who
receive Medicaid and also subscribe only to the basic service tier without
use of a set-top box or CableCARD at the time of encryption the equipment
necessary to descramble or decrypt the basic service tier signals (the
subscriber's choice of a set-top box or CableCARD) on up to two television
sets without charge or service fee for five years from the date encryption
of the basic service tier commences;
(v) The cable system operator notifies its existing subscribers of the
availability of the offers described in paragraphs (ii) through (iv) of this
section at least 30 days prior to the date encryption of the basic service
tier commences and makes the offers available for at least 30 days prior to
and 120 days after the date encryption of the basic service tier commences.
The notification to subscribers must state:
On (DATE), (NAME OF CABLE OPERATOR) will start encrypting (INSERT NAME OF
CABLE BASIC SERVICE TIER OFFERING) on your cable system. If you have a
set-top box, digital transport adapter (DTA), or a retail CableCARD device
connected to each of your TVs, you will be unaffected by this change.
However, if you are currently receiving (INSERT NAME OF CABLE BASIC SERVICE
TIER OFFERING) on any TV without equipment supplied by (NAME OF CABLE
OPERATOR), you will lose the ability to view any channels on that TV.
If you are affected, you should contact (NAME OF CABLE OPERATOR) to arrange
for the equipment you need to continue receiving your services. In such
case, you are entitled to receive equipment at no additional charge or
service fee for a limited period of time. The number and type of devices you
are entitled to receive and for how long will vary depending on your
situation. If you are a (INSERT NAME OF CABLE BASIC SERVICE TIER OFFERING)
customer and receive the service on your TV without (NAME OF CABLE
OPERATOR)-supplied equipment, you are entitled to up to two devices for two
years (five years if you also receive Medicaid). If you subscribe to a
higher level of service and receive (INSERT NAME OF CABLE BASIC SERVICE TIER
OFFERING) on a secondary TV without (NAME OF CABLE OPERATOR)-supplied
equipment, you are entitled to one device for one year.
You can learn more about this equipment offer and eligibility at (WEBPAGE
ADDRESS) or by calling (PHONE NUMBER). To qualify for any equipment at no
additional charge or service fee, you must request the equipment between
(DATE THAT IS 30 DAYS BEFORE ENCRYPTION) and (DATE THAT IS 120 DAYS AFTER
ENCRYPTION) and satisfy all other eligibility requirements.
(vi) The cable system operator notifies its subscribers who have received
equipment described in paragraphs (a)(1)(ii) through (iv) of this section at
least 30 days, but no more than 60 days, before the end of the free device
transitional period that the transitional period will end. This notification
must state:
You currently receive equipment necessary to descramble or decrypt the basic
service tier signals (either a set-top box or CableCARD) free of charge.
Effective with the (MONTH/YEAR) billing cycle, (NAME OF CABLE OPERATOR) will
begin charging you for the equipment you received to access (INSERT NAME OF
CABLE BASIC SERVICE TIER OFFERING) when (NAME OF CABLE OPERATOR) started
encrypting those channels on your cable system. The monthly charge for the
(TYPE OF DEVICE) will be (AMOUNT OF CHARGE).
(2) 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 30 calendar days from the
date the request for 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 of 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 shall be available 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.
(b) Cable system operators that provide their subscribers with cable system
terminal devices and other customer premises equipment that incorporates
remote control capability shall permit the remote operation of such devices
with commercially available remote control units or otherwise take no action
that would prevent the devices from being operated by a commercially
available remote control unit. Cable system operators are advised that this
requirement obliges them to actively enable the remote control functions of
customer premises equipment where those functions do not operate without a
special activation procedure. Cable system operators may, however, disable
the remote control functions of a subscriber's customer premises equipment
where requested by the subscriber.
Note 1 to § 76.630: 47 CFR 76.1621 contains certain requirements pertaining
to a cable operator's offer to supply subscribers with special equipment
that will enable the simultaneous reception of multiple signals.
Note 2 to § 76.630: 47 CFR 76.1622 contains certain requirements pertaining
to the provision of a consumer education program on compatibility matters to
subscribers.
[ 59 FR 25342 , May 16, 1994, as amended at 61 FR 18510 , Apr. 26, 1996; 65 FR 53616 , Sept. 5, 2000; 67 FR 1650 , Jan. 14, 2002; 67 FR 13235 , Mar. 21, 2002;
77 FR 67301 , Dec. 10, 2012]
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Goto Section: 76.617 | 76.640
Goto Year: 2014 |
2016
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