OT: TV Converter-Box Coupons

[Guest guest]

Howdy y'all,

 

This might be a public service announcement .. or it might be something you

all know about and I might be the only one who was dragging feet on it. ;-)

 

I have two each TV that are not hooked to our cable system .. one in my

barn/workshop and one in my office .. the main TV in the family room is the

only one hooked to cable. Some of you might also be needing these free

coupons. I went on line a few minutes ago and ordered mine .. it took 10

seconds or so .. and they are now on the way to me. The link to order

is https://www.dtv2009.gov/

 

Y'all keep smiling. :-)

 

Butch .. http://www.AV-AT.com

 

TV Converter-Box Coupons Expiring Before Use

Consumers also are having a hard time finding converter boxes

By Dibya Sarkar

The Associated Press

updated 3:54 p.m. CT, Tues., June. 10, 2008

 

WASHINGTON - Some Americans are finding the government-issued coupons used

to help pay for digital television converter boxes are expiring before they

can be redeemed, House lawmakers said Tuesday.

 

Consumers also are having a tough time finding converter boxes, which are

sold out in some stores, and should be given more time to buy them even

after the coupons expire, several lawmakers said during a House Energy and

Commerce subcommittee hearing.

 

" If you can't get a box within the 90 days, what good is this? " said Rep.

Bart Stupak, D-Mich., who held up one of the coupons that resemble plastic

gift cards.

 

The government established a $1.5 billion coupon program to help millions of

consumers buy the converter boxes before the nationwide transition to

digital programming in February.

 

Households are eligible for two $40 coupons, which are aimed primarily at up

to 21 million owners of the older-model sets that rely on antennas to watch

TV. If they don't get a converter box when the country's broadcasters

complete the switchover, they will wind up staring at a blank screen. Cable

and satellite TV rs do not need the boxes.

 

Overall, about 8.5 million households have requested 16 million coupons

since the program started earlier this year, according to the National

Telecommunications and Information Administration, which is overseeing the

coupon program. Nearly 3 million coupons have been redeemed so far.

 

There are 1,819 participating retailers in the coupon program, such as Best

Buy Co., RadioShack Corp., Target Corp. and Wal-Mart Stores Inc.

 

While Stupak said there has been some evidence that several retailers have

defrauded customers, NTIA Associate Administrator Bernadette McGuire-Rivera

said there have been " no egregious instances of waste, fraud and abuse " in

the coupon program.

 

Still, several unnamed retailers have been decertified from the program for

various rules violations, and the agency has taken action to ensure that

stores correct adverse effects on consumers.

 

" We have had to pull a dozen bad apples out of the barrel, " McGuire-Rivera

said.

 

Of the roughly 840,000 coupons that recently expired, 42 percent were

redeemed, the agency said. Under current government rules, consumers with

expired coupons cannot reapply for new ones.

 

Rep. Charles Gonzalez, D-Texas, said if 58 percent of consumers are

ineligible to get new coupons that could present " some real serious

problems. "

 

Several lawmakers have urged the NTIA to be flexible with consumers whose

coupons expire, either by extending the deadline or allowing them to reapply

for new coupons.

 

The statutory deadline cannot be changed, said NTIA spokesman Todd Sedmak,

but the agency is examining the " new idea " that consumers can reapply for

new coupons. He said the agency is weighing several factors, including

whether there are enough funds to implement the idea.

© 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

 

URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25083123/