Proposed Rule2024-04243
Media Bureau Seeks Additional Comment on FM Digital Power
Primary source
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Published
February 29, 2024
Effective
April 1, 2024
Issuing agencies
Federal Communications Commission
Abstract
In this document, based on a Petition for Rulemaking Addendum--Request for Clarification filed by the National Association of Broadcasters and Xperi, Inc., the Commission seeks additional public comment in the pending rulemaking proposing to change the methodology to determine whether an FM digital broadcast station can increase its digital power, and to allow asymmetric sideband operation.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 89 Issue 41 (Thursday, February 29, 2024)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 41 (Thursday, February 29, 2024)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 14797-14799]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2024-04243]
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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
47 CFR Part 73
[MB Docket No. 22-405; DA 24-154; FR ID 205024]
Media Bureau Seeks Additional Comment on FM Digital Power
AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.
ACTION: Proposed rule.
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SUMMARY: In this document, based on a Petition for Rulemaking
Addendum--Request for Clarification filed by the National Association
of Broadcasters and Xperi, Inc., the Commission seeks additional public
comment in the pending rulemaking proposing to change the methodology
to determine whether an FM digital broadcast station can increase its
digital power, and to allow asymmetric sideband operation.
DATES: Comment date: April 1, 2024. Reply comment date: April 15, 2024.
[[Page 14798]]
ADDRESSES: All filings must be submitted in MB Docket No. 22-405.
Pursuant to sections 1.415 and 1.419 of the Commission's rules, 47 CFR
1.415, 1.419, interested parties may file comments and reply comments
on or before the dates indicated in the DATES section of this document.
Comments may be filed using the Commission's Electronic Comment Filing
System (ECFS). See Electronic Filing of Documents in Rulemaking
Proceedings, 63 FR 24121 (1998).
<bullet> Electronic Filers: Comments may be filed electronically
using the internet by accessing the ECFS: <a href="https://apps.fcc.gov/ecfs/">https://apps.fcc.gov/ecfs/</a>.
<bullet> Paper Filers: Parties who choose to file by paper must
file an original and one copy of each filing.
Filings can be sent by commercial overnight courier, or by first-
class or overnight U.S. Postal Service mail. All filings must be
addressed to the Commission's Secretary, Office of the Secretary,
Federal Communications Commission.
<bullet> Commercial overnight mail (other than U.S. Postal Service
Express Mail and Priority Mail) must be sent to 9050 Junction Drive,
Annapolis Junction, MD 20701.
<bullet> U.S. Postal Service first-class, Express, and Priority
mail must be addressed to 45 L Street NE, Washington, DC 20554.
<bullet> Effective March 19, 2020, and until further notice, the
Commission no longer accepts any hand or messenger delivered filings.
This is a temporary measure taken to help protect the health and safety
of individuals, and to mitigate the transmission of COVID-19. See FCC
Announces Closure of FCC Headquarters Open Window and Change in Hand-
Delivery Policy, Public Notice, DA 20-304 (March 19, 2020). <a href="https://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-closes-headquarters-open-window-and-changes-hand-delivery-policy">https://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-closes-headquarters-open-window-and-changes-hand-delivery-policy</a>.
People with Disabilities: To request materials in accessible
formats for people with disabilities (braille, large print, electronic
files, audio format), send an email to <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#eb8d8888dedbdfab8d8888c58c849d"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="d3b5b0b0e6e3e793b5b0b0fdb4bca5">[email protected]</span></a> or call the
Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau at 202-418-0530.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Albert Shuldiner, Chief, Media Bureau,
Audio Division, (202) 418-2700; Thomas Nessinger, Senior Counsel, Media
Bureau, Audio Division, (202) 418-2700. Press inquiries should be
directed to Nancy Murphy, (202) 418-1043.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a summary of the Media Bureau's
Public Notice in MB Docket No. 22-405; DA 24-154, released on February
21, 2024. The full text of this document is available electronically
for public inspection via the Commission's Electronic Comment Filing
System (ECFS) at <a href="https://apps.fcc.gov/ecfs">https://apps.fcc.gov/ecfs</a> and the FCC's website at
<a href="https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/FCC-24-154A1.pdf">https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/FCC-24-154A1.pdf</a>. Documents
will be available electronically in ASCII, Microsoft Word, and/or Adobe
Acrobat. Alternative formats are available for people with disabilities
(Braille, large print, electronic files, audio format), by sending an
email to <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#22444141171216624441410c454d54"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="40262323757074002623236e272f36">[email protected]</span></a> or calling the Commission's Consumer and
Governmental Affairs Bureau at (202) 418-0530.
Synopsis
1. The Commission initiated this proceeding on August 1, 2023, with
the release of an Order and Notice of Proposed Rulemaking seeking
comment on a proposal to change the methodology used by digital FM
stations to determine whether they can increase FM digital power, and
to allow asymmetric sideband operation. Modifying Rules for FM
Terrestrial Digital Audio Broadcasting Systems, MB Docket No. 22-405,
Order and Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, FCC 23-61 (rel. Aug. 1, 2023)
(NPRM). A Federal Register summary published on August 22, 2023, 88 FR
57033. The time period for filing comments and reply comments on the
NPRM closed on October 6, 2023. Comment and Reply Comment Dates Set For
FM Digital Power NPRM, Public Notice, DA 23-741 (MB rel. Aug. 22,
2023). Comments and reply comments were filed in ECFS under Media
Bureau Docket No. 22-405.
2. On February 2, 2024, the National Association of Broadcasters
(NAB) and Xperi Inc. (Xperi), two of the parties that filed Petitions
for Rulemaking that led to release of the NPRM, filed with the Media
Bureau (Bureau) a Petition for Rulemaking Addendum--Request for
Clarification (Petition for Clarification), which is available in the
Commission's Electronic Comment Filing System at <a href="https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/10202290960928/1">https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/10202290960928/1</a>. In the Petition for Clarification, NAB
and Xperi state that they have ``identified an important ambiguity that
requires clarification regarding the maximum allowable operating power
of a digital FM signal.'' Petition for Clarification at 2. The NPRM and
the Commission's past discussions of digital power levels have
considered only the power level for the digital FM carriers of the
primary HD Radio MP1 hybrid service mode of operation. Id. In
particular, the Commission has considered the total integrated power
level for all digital carriers used to transmit MP1 standard hybrid
service. NAB and Xperi note, however, that the HD Radio system is not
limited to the MP1 mode, and the Commission has authorized extended
hybrid modes of operation, which increase the number of digital
subcarriers. Petitioners assert that the optimal operation of the
extended hybrid modes requires an increase in the total integrated
power above that of the MP1 mode so that all the digital carriers
individually operate at the intended power. Id. at 2-5. (The MP1 mode
consists of 10 digital partitions, each with 19 subcarriers. Extended
hybrid modes add partitions between the MP1 partitions and the analog
signal: for example, the MP2 mode adds one partition to the MP1
partitions; the MP3 mode adds two partitions; and various other modes,
such as MP11, MP5, MP6, MP1X, DSB1, MP1XOV, MP6OV, and DSB1OV, add four
partitions. These additional partitions increase the total digital
power by 10, 20 and 40%, respectively. Id. at 4-5.) Otherwise,
individual carriers would have to operate with less than the intended
power level to keep the total integrated power at the intended level.
Petitioners therefore seek to clarify the maximum digital FM power
levels permitted for hybrid and extended hybrid service modes,
including adding clarifying text to the NPRM, and textual changes to
the proposed new Sec. 73.404(e) of the rules. Id. at 6-7.
3. In light of this requested clarification, and to provide a
complete record on this issue, the Bureau encourages public comment on
NAB and Xperi's proposed clarifying language and changes to proposed
Sec. 73.404(e) of the rules. The Bureau notes that NAB and Xperi ask
the Commission to incorporate a reference in the rules to the NRSC-5
standard, which is subject to modification, as an appropriate means to
implement the proposed change. Because it is unusual for the Commission
to incorporate outside standards into its rules, the Bureau states that
commenters should offer alternative means to incorporate the proposed
clarification directly into the Commission's rules. The Bureau further
seeks comment on whether the additional digital power necessitated by
use of extended digital modes would increase potential interference to
first adjacent channel analog FM stations, to the host analog station,
or to other users of the FM broadcast spectrum or adjacent to that
spectrum. The Bureau notes that the Petition for Clarification does not
reference any technical studies
[[Page 14799]]
of the impact of extended hybrid modes with a total integrated digital
power level more than -10 dBc. Are such studies needed to determine
whether or not to adopt this proposal? Commenters also should consider
that if the Commission adopts this proposed change for stations
operating with less than -10 dBc, should the Commission limit the total
overall digital power for any station operating in extended hybrid mode
to a maximum of -10 dBc? The Bureau notes that doing so would require
stations that convert from MP1 to an extended hybrid mode to reduce the
power of the individual subcarriers in the primary digital sidebands,
in order to accommodate the power added by the extended digital
sideband partitions. The Bureau further invites commenters to suggest
modifications to petitioners' clarifying suggestions, as appropriate.
It also seeks comment regarding the number of stations operating in the
various extended hybrid modes, including whether those stations operate
at a power level with more than -14 dBc, in order to determine the
scope of this issue. Finally, the Bureau also offers an opportunity to
commenters who wish to supplement or amend their previous comments in
light of more recent additions to the record.
Federal Communications Commission.
Thomas Horan,
Chief of Staff, Media Bureau.
[FR Doc. 2024-04243 Filed 2-28-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P
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