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SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

FCC DTV Consumer Education Order

On March 3, 2008, the FCC released an order requiring certain entities (television broadcasters, multi-channel video programming distributors, retailers, manufacturers and 700 MHz auction winners) to promote awareness of the conversion to digital television or DTV. The FCC has also required all eligible telecommunications carriers or ETCs that receive federal universal service funds to provide DTV transition information in the monthly bills of their Lifeline/Link-Up customers.

The notice provided by ETCs must be provided as a “bill stuffer” or as part of an information section on the bill itself. It must be noticeable and convey at least the following information:

  1. After February 17, 2009 a television receiver with only an analog broadcast tuner will require a converter box to receive full power over-the-air broadcasts with an antenna because of the Nation’s transition to digital broadcasting. Analog-only TVs should continue to work as before to receive low power, Class A or translator television stations and with cable and satellite TV services, gaming consoles, VCRs, DVD players and similar products.

  2. Information about the DTV transition is available from www.DTV.gov and from www.dtv2009.gov or you may call 1-888-DTV-2009 for information about subsidized coupons for digital-to-analog converter boxes.

The notice may also, at the ETC’s discretion provide contact information for the DTV Transition Coalition. The notice should be provided in the same language or languages as the bill. If the ETC’s Lifeline/Link-Up customer does not receive paper versions of either a bill or a notice of billing, then that customer must be provided with equivalent monthly transition notices in whatever medium they receive information about their monthly bill. Finally, ETCs that receive federal universal service funds must provided this same basic information as part of any other Lifeline or Link-Up publicity campaigns. The customer bill notice requirement will run from 30 days after the effective date of the rules through March 2009 and the publicity requirement will run for the same period.

The information collection requirements for ETCs must be approved by the Office of Management and Budget or OMB. In addition, pursuant to the Small Business Paperwork Relief Act of 2002, the FCC will also seek specific comment on how it might “further reduce the information collection burden for small business concerns with fewer than 25 employees.” The FCC will publish a notice in the Federal Register announcing when OMB approval for these rules has been received and thus when these rules will take effect. GVNW will let you know when this occurs, when the rules become effective and what, if any modifications are made for small businesses.