High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! Downloadable Conditional Access System or DCAS is a proposal advanced by CableLabs for secure software download of a specific Conditional Access client (computer program) which controls digital rights management (DRM) into an OCAP-compliant host consumer media device. The National Cable Telecommunications Association (NCTA) proposes that DCAS be used as a substitute for physical CableCARDs, a standard also created by CableLabs for which products began appearing in August 2004 as part of industry compliance to the FCC mandate, which in turn is pursuant to the Telecommunications Act of 1996. DCAS is a controversial proposal for a variety of reasons: it currently does not exist, has no set deadlines for support on all cable systems, the specification even in draft form is not currently public, may not satisfy FCC requirements that security modules be separable, and requires an operating system (OCAP) that a majority of consumer electronics (CE) manufacturers do not wish to implement.