Federal Communications Commission DA 20-277 DA 20-277 Released: March 16, 2020 COMMENT AND REPLY COMMENT DATES SET FOR PUBLIC NOTICE REGARDING THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF NEW TRUTH-IN-BILLING REQUIREMENTS IN THE TELEVISION VIEWER PROTECTION ACT OF 2019 MB Docket No. 20-61 Comment Date: April 6, 2020 Reply Comment Date: April 13, 2020 On February 27, 2020, the Media Bureau issued a Public Notice Media Bureau Seeks Comment on Whether to Extend the Effective Date of New Truth-in-Billing Requirements in the Television Viewer Protection Act of 2019, MB Docket No. 20-61, Public Notice, DA 20-203 (MB Feb. 27, 2020), available at https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-20-203A1.docx (Public Notice). seeking comment on whether to extend the effective date of new truth-in-billing requirements set forth in section 642 of the Communications Act of 1934, as added by the Television Viewer Protection Act of 2019 (TVPA). The Television Viewer Protection Act of 2019, Pub. L. No. 116-94, 133 Stat. 2534 (2019). Section 642 requires multichannel video programming distributors (MVPDs) to “give consumers a breakdown of all charges related to the MVPD’s video service” before entering into a contract with a consumer for service, and also gives consumers 24 hours in which to cancel such service without penalty. See H.R. Rep. No. 116-329, 116th Cong., 1st Sess. 2019 at 4. In addition, section 642 requires greater transparency in electronic bills and prohibits MVPDs and providers of fixed broadband Internet access service from charging consumers for equipment they do not provide. Id. Section 642 becomes effective June 20, 2020, six months after the date of enactment of the TVPA; however, the Commission for “good cause” may extend the effective date by six months. See TVPA, § 1004(b). In the Public Notice, the Bureau sought comment on whether good cause exists for granting a blanket extension of section 642’s effective date by six months, until December 20, 2020. Public Notice at 1-2. The Public Notice set deadlines for filing comments and reply comments at 21 and 28 days, respectively, after publication of the Public Notice in the Federal Register. Id. at 1. The Media Bureau announces that the Public Notice was published in the Federal Register on March 16, 2020. See https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2020/03/16/2020-05284/media-bureau-seeks-comment-on-whether-to-extend-the-effective-date-of-new-truth-in-billing. Accordingly, comments must be submitted by April 6, 2020; reply comments must be submitted by April 13, 2020. Commenters must follow the filing instructions set forth in the Public Notice. Public Notice at 2-3. For additional information on this proceeding, contact Raelynn Remy of the Media Bureau, Policy Division, at Raelynn.Remy@fcc.gov or (202) 418-2120. Press inquiries should be directed to Janice Wise, (202) 418-8165. --FCC-- 2