Demand Brisk For DTV Converter Coupons
Commerce Department Reports Requests for 850,000 Coupons in First 48 Hours
By Ted Hearn -- Multichannel News, 1/2/2008 8:12:00 PM
Washington – The federal government’s DTV converter box subsidy program got off to a brisk start this week as the Commerce Department reported that 850,000 coupons worth $40 each were requested in the first 48 hours.
The federal government has $1.5 billion to subsidize converter boxes. After administrative expenses, the funding will provide for 33.5 million coupons. About 500,000 households from all 50 states applied for coupons on Tuesday and Wednesday.
The National Association of Broadcasters has pegged potential demand at 69 million.
Under the program administered by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, every household may request up to two $40 coupons redeemable at retail outlets that sell digital-to-analog converter boxes. NTIA opened the request window on Jan. 1, 2008.
Converters boxes attached to analog TVs will keep the sets working after the federal government forces every full-power TV station to shut off analog TV service on Feb. 17, 2009.
NTIA is accepting coupon applications over the phone (1-888-DTV-2009) and on the Internet (https://www.dtv2009.gov), until March 31, 2009. The first batch of coupons won’t be mailed out until Feb. 17, 2008. Coupons expire after 90 days.
