DTV Walk-in Help Centers for April
Some of the latest DTV News to hit the wire:
A round up of DTV awareness meetings, workshops, and help centers are scheduled in April.
What: DTV Day of Action (DTV Assistance Center)
Where: Seattle, WA Housing Authority’s Center Park facility
When: Friday, April 17th
Who: MAG-Net partner organizations, Reclaim the Media, Youth Media Institute, and the Seattle Housing Authority
More information Here
What: Walk-in Help Center at Rimrock Mall
Where: Billings, MT Rimrock Mall (300 S 24th Street W)
When: Friday, April 17th and April 18th, 2009 (10am - 9pm)
Who: FCC Staff
More Information Here
What: DTV Day of Action (DTV Assistance Center)
Where: St, Minneapolis, MN Midtown Global Market
When: Friday, April 17th
Who: Media Action Grassroots Network
More Information Here
Expired DTV Coupon? Reapply today!
The TV Converter Box Coupon Program has now begun accepting replacement applications from consumers who have allowed their coupons to expire without being redeemed. This marks a change in policy for expired coupon holder’s who were originally denied by the coupon program after their DTV Coupons had expired.
Congress made changes to the coupon program when it passed a recent act to postpone the digital transition date from February 17th to June 12th. The same act also included a change to the wording on how the NTIA (National Telecommunications and Information Agency) could mail out coupons to households.
Changed From: No more than two coupons should be sent to any one household.
Changed To: No more than two coupons per household can be redeemed.
Though the changes seem small, consumers can now request up to (2) new coupons to replace your old expired converter box coupons. The Government’s website also points out that you will not need the old expired coupons to reapply, so if you’ve lost or had them stolen, there’s no need to worry.
How to Reapply: Consumers can apply for replacement coupons by visiting www.dtv2009.gov
DTV Coupon Program Extended to 7/31/09
Just in case anyone has not applied for a DTV Coupon yet, the Government TV Converter Box Coupon Program has been extended to July 31st, 2009 to help procrastinators consumers get ready for the digital transition.
Coupon Backlog Cleared
The NTIA has announced that it has eliminated the coupon application backlog which had caused consumer applicants to be put on a waiting list for DTV Coupons. At the beginning of March, there were over 4.1 million applications waiting to be processed, but after today’s announcement by the NTIA, there are 0 applicants on the waiting list.
TV Stations still planning for the Digital Transition on Feb. 17th, 2009
Although the digital transition has been postponed by Congress, television stations have been given the option to shut off their analog signals any time before 6-12-09. With millions of consumers still on a waiting list for DTV coupons, 491 television have asked the FCC for permission to transition to digital only broadcast signals on 2-17-2009. That’s less than 5 days away.
The FCC website has given permission to all but 123 TV stations to make the transition on 2-17-2009 citing the following reason:
…the primary concern of the Commission is to ensure that viewers relying on over-the-air television do not lose access to local news, public affairs and emergency information before they are ready for the full power television transition to all-digital television service.
How do I know which stations are still switching to DTV on February 17th, 2009?
You can reference the FCC’s list of 491 stations intending to transition on February 17th, 2009:
FCC List: Part A
FCC List: Part B
For a list of the 123 stations who must meet additional guidlines requested by the FCC before they proceed with their digital transition on February 17th, 2009:
FCC List: Click Here
These Lists are too confusing, how else can I tell if I need to upgrade my television before June 12th, 2009?
A simple Google search using your city name, state name, and channel number (or channel affiliate call sign, ie: ABC, NBC, or Fox) will provide you with links to the respective websites broadcasting television signals in your area.
Stations like KSPR - ABC in Springfield, MO are providing viewers with a “Countdown to Digital Television” timer and information about their plans to transition to DTV on February 17th, 2009.
DTV Delayed? No, says House of Reps
House Republicans have voted No on a bill that would have moved the digital television transition date originally scheduled for Feb. 17, 2009 to June 12, 2009.
The DTV Delay bill had been originally passed by the Senate on Tuesday, but needed two thirds majority votes from the House to receive approval. Voting outcome was 258 in favor and 168 against, having narrowly missed the two thirds approval mark.
According to the AP, opposing House Reps had voiced conceren about added costs involved for television broadcasters who have spent several years preparing for the February digital transition.
Other measures could be drafted to postpone the DTV Transition, but time is running out with less than a month left.
DTV Transition Delay, Almost…
Hot off the Reuters wire, the Senate passed a bill this afternoon (1-26-09) to delay the the transition to DTV until June 12th, 2009.
Earlier in January, President Barack Obama’s presidential transition team sent a letter to Congress asking for an extension because they felt that many Americans would not be ready by the originally scheduled February 17th, 2009 transition date.
Some news agencies are reporting that the transition delay has been appoved, but the measure will still need to clear House Representatives (could be approved by the end of this week) before the delay becomes official.
President-elect Obama asks for Digital Transition delay
Digital Transition date in jeapordy?
A letter sent on Thursday to key lawmakers from the Obama-Biden presidential transition team has requested that the Digital Transition on Feb. 17th, 2009, “should be reconsidered and extended.” Several problems were cited with the TV converter box coupon program which included “inadequate funding” of government DTV education programs, and insufficient help for low income, rural, and elderly Americans.
The letter, signed by John Podesta, co-chair of the Obama-Biden transition team, also makes note of more than 1 million Americans currently on the waiting list for DTV Coupons due to inproper funding.
Breaking News: DTV Coupon Program Out of Funds
Is the DTV Coupon program out of funding? Complaints are being posted at DTV USA Forum that funding for the coupon program is “currently not available”.
Important:
We have determined that you are elgible to participate in this program and your coupon application has been approved. However, because program funding is not currently available, you will not receivve coupons unless more funding becomes available. If program funding becomes available you should receive your coupons in the mail.
TVConversionhelp has verified the above message by applying to the DTV coupon program (at www.dtv2009.gov) this afternoon (1/5/2009) at 2:24 PM MST.
Update 3:32PM MST 1/5/09: Looks like there’s now a wait list for DTV Coupons according to this AP article:
Consumers who apply for federal coupons to pay for converter boxes ahead of next month’s transition to digital television broadcasts are being placed on a waiting list and may not receive their vouchers before the switchover, the Commerce Department said Monday.