Conformity Magazine - December 2008 - (Page 10)

NewsBreaks First DTV Rollout Initiated in Wilmington, NC For the rest of us, the transition to digital television (DTV) is slated for February 17, 2009, still a few months away. But the citizens of Wilmington, NC have already made the leap. At 12 pm on Monday, September 8, 2008, Wilmington became the first community in the country to make the transition from analog to digital television broadcasts. According to Commission Chairman Kevin J. Martin, the pilot program to rollout DTV was championed by FCC Commissioner Michael Copps, who urged the Commission “to engage in a real-world experience” as a way of helping broadcasters and the general public gear up for the transition. Then, once Wilmington was selected in May 2008, the Commission embarked on a massive public relations and education campaign, distributing 85,000 publications about the DTV transition, attending over 400 outreach events, and broadcasting public service announcements on the area’s local broadcast stations. The active outreach apparently paid off, with 97% of Wilmington-area residents aware of the analog-to-digital transition, according to one survey. Further, of the 67,000 coupons for converter boxes that were distributed in the area in advance of the transition, the Commission reports that at least 25,000 of the coupons have been redeemed to date. In remarks delivered on September 8th, FCC Chairman Martin expressed the belief that the Wilmington pilot program has helped the Commission develop a better understanding of technical implications for broadcasters during the transition period, as well as the education and outreach efforts that are most effective in helping consumers to be prepared. through a separate vendor account on eBay.com and a video on YouTube.com. The Commission initially issued a letter of inquiry to MicroVideoX in early June regarding their marketing of the illegal devices. In its response, the company acknowledged that it had marketed the devices on both eBay and YouTube only until about mid-March. But Commission investigators stayed on the case. In early July, they uncovered another promotional video for the company’s GPS blocking devices, this time posted at www.revver.com. The Commission issued its citation against MicroVideoX shortly thereafter. Our readers can view the complete text of the Commission’s citation against MicroVideoX at www.conformity.com/2410. Commission Prowls the Web to Enforce Its Regulations Some enterprising companies may think that they can stay one step ahead of regulators when it comes to the marketing of illegal electronic devices. But a Colorado-based distributor of GPS signal blocking equipment has found out that enforcement agents at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) are just as smart (or maybe smarter) than they are. The Commission has issued a citation against MicroVideoX LLC of Grand Junction, CO for its marketing of its GPS Counter Track and GPS Counter Track Portable. Both devices, which block GPS signals, operate on unauthorized radio frequencies and are illegal in the United States. But MicoVideoX actively promoted the devices on the company’s website, and FCC Warns Regulatory Fee Payers About Potential “Phishing” The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is warning parties who make regulatory fee payments to be aware of non-government websites posing as conduits for payments to the Commission. The FCC has reportedly received complaints that some parties are using fraudulent Internet sites to misdirect those seeking to submit their regulatory DiLbert: © Scott Adams/Dist. by United feature Syndicate, inc. reprinted with permission. 10 Conformity DeCember 2008 http://www.eBay.com http://www.YouTube.com http://www.revver.com http://www.conformity.com/2410

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Conformity Magazine - December 2008

Conformity Magazine - December 2008 Contents Editor's Note FCC Warns Regulatory Fee Payers About Potential "Phishing" Commission Prowls the Web to Enforce Its Regulations First DTV Rollout Initiated in Wilmington, NC New Standards List Released for the EU's Directive on the Safety of Toys ESD Association Call for Papers ESDA. JEDEC Announce Standards Development Cooperation Commission Releases Data on Local Telephone Competition The Future of ESD Testing ESD Open Forum Emerging Issues in Standards: China RoHS: One Year and Counting Challenges in Testing: Revisiting 10-Meter and 3-Meter Radiated Emission Measurements Design Fundamentals: Meeting the Shielding Challenges of Injection-Molded Plastics Focus On...Microwave Absorbers Buyer's Guide FDA Recalls Automated External Defibrillators FDA Revises Guidance on Medical Device Tracking Guidance Document Safety of Passive Implants Released FDA Offers Guidance on Marketing Diagnostic Ultrasound Systems EU Commission Issues Correction on Machinery Directive Standards Other CPSC Actions in the News Product Reviews IEC Standards Update UL Standards Update Looking Back: Items from Past Issues of Conformity Advertisers

Conformity Magazine - December 2008

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