While you can always go back and read the documentation put forth by the FCC (I did, and had a great time reading between the lines) we’ll summarize the most important rule changes for you here. This all comes from section 76.1205 of the document.
- If a cable provider allows customers to self-install set-top-boxes then they must begin allowing customers to self-install CableCARDs on August 8, 2011. If the cable company doesn’t allow self-install of set-top-boxes (STB), then they still must allow customers to self-install CableCARD, but not until November 1, 2011.
- Cable providers must always provide multi-stream CableCARDs (M-Stream cards, all of which are capapble of six simultaneous streams) unless the customer requests a single-stream card.
- If a cable provider uses Switched Digital Video (SDV) then their tuning adapters must support at least four simultaneous streams, or the greatest number of tuners in their set-top-boxes, which ever number is greater.
- When offering bundled services cable companies must now offer a discount in the bundle “not less than the monthly rental fee reasonably allocable to the lease of the operator-supplied navigation device included with that offer.” when using a CableCARD in your own device.
- The cable provider cannot impose a service fee to support a CableCARD device that you own that they wouldn’t also charge for a device rented from the cable company.
- The rental fee for CableCARD must be clearly described on the cable bill, and it cannot be more than what the cost of the card would be in an STB.
Sources: FCC (pdf) Federal Register
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