FCC Requests Comment on Distant Digital Television Reception

[Gregg Lengling]

For Immediate Release   Media Contact:
April 29, 2005   Bruce Romano at (202) 418-2124, email: Bruce.Romano@fcc.gov


FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION REQUESTS COMMENT ON DISTANT DIGITAL TELVISION RECEPTION

Washington, D.C. – Today the Federal Communications Commission adopted a Notice of Inquiry (NOI) regarding the adequacy of the digital signal strength standard and testing procedures used to determine whether households are eligible to receive distant broadcast digital television (DTV) network signals from satellite communications providers.  This inquiry is being initiated in response to the requirements of the Satellite Home Viewer Extension and Reauthorization Act of 2004 (SHVERA).   This Inquiry requests information on whether any revisions to existing statutes or regulations concerning the digital signal strength standard and testing procedures for identifying households that are unserved by local network TV signals are necessary.  The Commission will use the information gathered by this NOI to prepare a Report to Congress by December 8, 2005, as required by Congress.

   The SHVERA, enacted in December 2004, extends to digital broadcast signals similar requirements as had been placed on analog broadcast TV signals.  In 1988, the Satellite Home Viewer Act (SHVA) was enacted to protect broadcasters' interests while simultaneously allowing satellite video service providers the ability to provide network television programming to subscribers that are unable to receive broadcast television programming over-the-air.  The Commission implemented this legislation by defining a signal intensity level that is used to determine households that are eligible to receive broadcast network programming via satellite.  Later under the Satellite Home Viewer Improvement Act of 1999 (SHVIA) the Commission developed a predictive model for determining if a household is unserved by analog television broadcast stations.  

This NOI requests information on the following topics:

 Whether the Commission should to account for different antenna installations and orientation;  

 whether the Commission should revise measurement procedures for DTV signals to determine if a location is unserved;

 whether a standard that does not rely on signal strength should be used;

 whether a new predictive methodology for determining whether a household is unserved by an adequate digital signal should be developed;

 whether the Commission should account for variation in the ability of reasonably priced consumer digital television sets to receive and resolve over-the-air signals when setting a standard for determining if a household is unserved by DTV; and

 whether the Commission should account for factors such external interference sources, such as foliage and man made clutter, or undesired signals from both digital television and analog television stations using either the same or adjacent channels in nearby markets.

Action by the Commission April 29, 2005, by Notice of Inquiry (FCC 05-94). Chairman Martin, Commissioners Abernathy, Copps and Adelstein.

-FCC-

For further information contact:  David Sturdivant at (202) 418-1227, email: David.Sturdivant@fcc.gov

Docket 05-182