Twisted Logic 99
2004-04-11 04:42:53 UTC
COMMISSION ADVANCES "NAVIGATION DEVICES" RULES CREATING
CONSUMER MARKET FOR SET TOP BOXES: (MAY 13, 1999)
The FCC has adopted an order revising its rules regarding the
commercial availability of navigation devices (e.g cable television
set-top boxes).
The Order on Reconsideration affirms and refines rules adopted in 1998
to allow for consumer purchase and ownership of navigation devices.
This order furthers the goal of providing competition in the
telecommunications marketplace by creating a market for consumers to
own equipment used to access video programming and other services in
their homes.
In Telecommunications Act of 1996, Congress directed the FCC to create
rules that would allow consumers to obtain "navigation devices" --
meaning set top boxes, remote control units and other equipment --
from commercial sources other than their multichannel programming
service provider.
http://tinyurl.com/2f5g3
FCC Rules: PART 76--
MULTICHANNEL VIDEO AND CABLE TELEVISION SERVICE
Subpart P--Competitive Availability of Navigation Devices
Sec. 76.1201 Rights of subscribers to use or attach navigation
devices.
No multichannel video programming distributor shall prevent the
connection or use of navigation devices to or with its multichannel
video programming system, except in those circumstances where
electronic or physical harm would be caused by the attachment or
operation of such devices or such devices may be used to assist
or are intended or designed to assist in the unauthorized receipt
of service.
http://tinyurl.com/3y8vu
Sec. 76.1202 Availability of navigation devices.
No multichannel video programming distributor shall by contract,
agreement, patent right, intellectual property right or otherwise
prevent navigation devices that do not perform conditional access
or security functions from being made available to subscribers from
retailers, manufacturers, or other vendors that are unaffiliated with
such owner or operator.
http://tinyurl.com/2gwmy
United States Code (U.S.C.)
TITLE 47: TELEGRAPHS, TELEPHONES, AND RADIOTELEGRAPHS
CHAPTER 5 - WIRE OR RADIO COMMUNICATION
Sec. 549. Competitive availability of navigation devices
(a) Commercial consumer availability of equipment used to access
services provided by multichannel video programming distributors
The Commission shall, in consultation with appropriate industry
standard-setting organizations, adopt regulations to assure the
commercial availability, to consumers of multichannel video
programming and other services offered over multichannel video
programming systems, of converter boxes, interactive communications
equipment, and other equipment used by consumers to access
multichannel video programming and other services offered over
multichannel video programming systems, from manufacturers, retailers,
and other vendors not affiliated with any multichannel video
programming distributor.
http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/47/549.html
Telecommunications Act of 1996 (104th Congress: Senate Bill S.652)
http://thomas.loc.gov/home/c104query.html [S.652.ENR]
SEC. 629. COMPETITIVE AVAILABILITY OF NAVIGATION DEVICES.
`(a) COMMERCIAL CONSUMER AVAILABILITY OF EQUIPMENT USED TO ACCESS
SERVICES PROVIDED BY MULTICHANNEL VIDEO PROGRAMMING DISTRIBUTORS -
The Commission shall,in consultation with appropriate industry
standard-setting organizations, adopt regulations to assure the
commercial availability, to consumers of multichannel video
programming and other services offered over multichannel video
programming systems, of converter boxes, interactive communications
equipment, and other equipment used by consumers to access
multichannel video programming and other services offered over
multichannel video programming systems, from manufacturers, retailers,
and other vendors not affiliated with any multichannel video
programming distributor.
Such regulations shall not prohibit any multichannel video programming
distributor from also offering converter boxes, interactive
communications equipment, and other equipment used by consumers to
access multichannel video programming and other services offered over
multichannel video programming systems, to consumers, if the system
operator's charges to consumers for such devices and equipment are
separately stated and not subsidized by charges for any such service.
(this means that Congress is telling the FCC to makes rules that allow
consumers to purchase their own cable boxes.)
CONSUMER MARKET FOR SET TOP BOXES: (MAY 13, 1999)
The FCC has adopted an order revising its rules regarding the
commercial availability of navigation devices (e.g cable television
set-top boxes).
The Order on Reconsideration affirms and refines rules adopted in 1998
to allow for consumer purchase and ownership of navigation devices.
This order furthers the goal of providing competition in the
telecommunications marketplace by creating a market for consumers to
own equipment used to access video programming and other services in
their homes.
In Telecommunications Act of 1996, Congress directed the FCC to create
rules that would allow consumers to obtain "navigation devices" --
meaning set top boxes, remote control units and other equipment --
from commercial sources other than their multichannel programming
service provider.
http://tinyurl.com/2f5g3
FCC Rules: PART 76--
MULTICHANNEL VIDEO AND CABLE TELEVISION SERVICE
Subpart P--Competitive Availability of Navigation Devices
Sec. 76.1201 Rights of subscribers to use or attach navigation
devices.
No multichannel video programming distributor shall prevent the
connection or use of navigation devices to or with its multichannel
video programming system, except in those circumstances where
electronic or physical harm would be caused by the attachment or
operation of such devices or such devices may be used to assist
or are intended or designed to assist in the unauthorized receipt
of service.
http://tinyurl.com/3y8vu
Sec. 76.1202 Availability of navigation devices.
No multichannel video programming distributor shall by contract,
agreement, patent right, intellectual property right or otherwise
prevent navigation devices that do not perform conditional access
or security functions from being made available to subscribers from
retailers, manufacturers, or other vendors that are unaffiliated with
such owner or operator.
http://tinyurl.com/2gwmy
United States Code (U.S.C.)
TITLE 47: TELEGRAPHS, TELEPHONES, AND RADIOTELEGRAPHS
CHAPTER 5 - WIRE OR RADIO COMMUNICATION
Sec. 549. Competitive availability of navigation devices
(a) Commercial consumer availability of equipment used to access
services provided by multichannel video programming distributors
The Commission shall, in consultation with appropriate industry
standard-setting organizations, adopt regulations to assure the
commercial availability, to consumers of multichannel video
programming and other services offered over multichannel video
programming systems, of converter boxes, interactive communications
equipment, and other equipment used by consumers to access
multichannel video programming and other services offered over
multichannel video programming systems, from manufacturers, retailers,
and other vendors not affiliated with any multichannel video
programming distributor.
http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/47/549.html
Telecommunications Act of 1996 (104th Congress: Senate Bill S.652)
http://thomas.loc.gov/home/c104query.html [S.652.ENR]
SEC. 629. COMPETITIVE AVAILABILITY OF NAVIGATION DEVICES.
`(a) COMMERCIAL CONSUMER AVAILABILITY OF EQUIPMENT USED TO ACCESS
SERVICES PROVIDED BY MULTICHANNEL VIDEO PROGRAMMING DISTRIBUTORS -
The Commission shall,in consultation with appropriate industry
standard-setting organizations, adopt regulations to assure the
commercial availability, to consumers of multichannel video
programming and other services offered over multichannel video
programming systems, of converter boxes, interactive communications
equipment, and other equipment used by consumers to access
multichannel video programming and other services offered over
multichannel video programming systems, from manufacturers, retailers,
and other vendors not affiliated with any multichannel video
programming distributor.
Such regulations shall not prohibit any multichannel video programming
distributor from also offering converter boxes, interactive
communications equipment, and other equipment used by consumers to
access multichannel video programming and other services offered over
multichannel video programming systems, to consumers, if the system
operator's charges to consumers for such devices and equipment are
separately stated and not subsidized by charges for any such service.
(this means that Congress is telling the FCC to makes rules that allow
consumers to purchase their own cable boxes.)
