[opendtv] News: NTIA Wants to Up The Ante For DTV Transition
- From: Craig Birkmaier <craig@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: OpenDTV Mail List <opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 15 Dec 2008 10:54:26 -0500
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6622361.html?display=Breaking+News&referral=SUPP&nid=2228
NTIA Wants to Up The Ante For DTV Transition
National Telecommunications & Information Administration wants
Congress to raise $1.34 billion cap on funds for DTV-to-analog
converter-box coupon program
By John Eggerton -- Broadcasting & Cable, 12/15/2008
The National Telecommunications & Information Administration wants
Congress to raise the $1.34 billion cap on funds for the
DTV-to-analog converter-box coupon program. The NTIA's concern is
that coupon distribution could be slowed or halted next month.
A source with the agency confirms talks with Congress about raising
what they see as an artificial cap.
NTIA is charged with giving out $40 coupons, up to two per household,
to help viewers pay for the boxes.
A little over $1.1 billion has been obligated to the coupons. At the
current rate, the cap amount would all be gone by mid-January.
It isn't that NTIA thinks it will run out of money, it's that the
redemption rate is only a little over 50%, meaning half the coupons
go unredeemed. But requests have spiked lately and could
theoretically soar as Feb. 17 approaches. Two weeks ago, requests
were coming in at the rate of 200,000 per day.
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