[opendtv] Re: News: Big audience for digital TV converters
- From: "Allen Le Roy Limberg" <allimberg@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 10 Apr 2008 13:05:29 -0400
The question is how many coupons have actually been sent out. We still have
to receive ours ordered in January.
Al Limberg, down in rabbit-ears Florida
----- Original Message -----
From: "Craig Birkmaier" <craig@xxxxxxxxx>
To: "OpenDTV Mail List" <opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Thursday, April 10, 2008 8:23 AM
Subject: [opendtv] News: Big audience for digital TV converters
> Look's like there is plenty of demand for NTIA STB Coupons - more
> than 10 million requests - but only 280,128 coupons have been
> redeemed to date.
>
> I'll still be surprised if they actually sell more than 10 million
boxes...
>
> Regards
> Craig
>
> http://www.latimes.com/technology/la-fi-digital9apr09,1,279487.story
>
> Big audience for digital TV converters
> Demand for the government's discount coupons is outpacing supply.
> Officials worry that many people are still unaware of next year's
> switch.
>
> By Jim Puzzanghera, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
> April 9, 2008
>
> WASHINGTON -- With broadcast TV stations preparing to switch to
> all-digital signals early next year, about 5.3 million U.S.
> households have taken the government up on its offer of discount
> coupons for a gadget to ensure their sets will continue to get the
> picture.
>
> Each U.S. household is eligible for two $40 coupons toward the
> purchase of converters that sell for about $60, and most have asked
> for the maximum. The National Telecommunications and Information
> Administration said Tuesday that 10 million coupons had been
> requested since the program began Jan. 1. About 856,000 households in
> California have submitted applications.
>
> "We're doing a pretty good job so far," Meredith A. Baker, head of
> the telecommunications agency, said at a Senate hearing. "We have a
> lot more work to be done."
>
> Redemption is going much more slowly, because consumers need to wait
> for manufacturers to roll out the boxes and for retailers such as
> Best Buy Co. and Wal-Mart Stores Inc. to stock them. As of Friday,
> 280,128 coupons had been redeemed, about 17,400 of those in
> California. The government started mailing the coupons in February,
> and Baker said the backlog of requests was being worked through.
>
> Lawmakers continue to worry about awareness among consumers; many
> still don't know that the transition is coming next year, according
> to recent polls.
>
> On Feb. 17, all full-power TV stations must turn off their analog
> signals and broadcast only in digital. Although the new method will
> deliver better pictures, people who use antennas and don't own newer
> digital sets will need a converter box or their screens will go blank.
>
> "We all just pray this works," said Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska), who
> is particularly concerned about rural residents who rely heavily on
> antennas.
>
> As many as 20 million homes get only over-the-air signals. Cable and
> satellite TV subscribers will get the new signals through those
> systems, but millions of those homes have extra sets that use
> antennas. Broadcasters have estimated that 70 million U.S.
> televisions could need converter boxes.
>
> The Senate Commerce Committee summoned Baker and Kevin J. Martin,
> chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, on Tuesday to
> update them on the transition. Sen. Daniel K. Inouye (D-Hawaii), the
> committee's chairman, told Martin that raising consumer awareness and
> ensuring a smooth transition should be the top priority of the FCC
> and the telecommunications agency this year. He requested monthly
> updates.
>
> Martin said that although awareness was rising, federal officials and
> a private coalition led by broadcasters still had work to do.
>
> "Too many Americans remain confused about what they need to do about
> the digital transition," Martin said.
>
> The coupons are a key to the transition, the federal government's way
> of helping ease the pain of the change, which is designed to free up
> TV airwaves for public safety use and wireless services such as
> high-speed Internet access.
>
> Congress allocated $1.5 billion to a program to deliver as many as
> 33.5 million converter box coupons. Resembling plastic gift cards,
> they are encoded and must be used within 90 days. That deadline
> worries Consumers Union because the boxes have been slow to hit
> stores. On Tuesday, the group urged federal officials to extend the
> deadline or allow people to reapply if their coupons expire.
>
> People can apply at www.dtv2009.gov or by calling (888) DTV-2009.
>
> jim.puzzanghera@xxxxxxxxxxx
>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> You can UNSUBSCRIBE from the OpenDTV list in two ways:
>
> - Using the UNSUBSCRIBE command in your user configuration settings at
FreeLists.org
>
> - By sending a message to: opendtv-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the word
unsubscribe in the subject line.
>
----------------------------------------------------------------------
You can UNSUBSCRIBE from the OpenDTV list in two ways:
- Using the UNSUBSCRIBE command in your user configuration settings at
FreeLists.org
- By sending a message to: opendtv-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the word
unsubscribe in the subject line.
Other related posts:
