Letter to Meredith Attwell Baker, Acting Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information of the National Telecommunications Information Administration, Re: Allow Consumers to Reapply for Coupons Needed for Digital Television Conversion

Letter

Letter to Meredith Attwell Baker, Acting Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information of the National Telecommunications Information Administration, Re: Allow Consumers to Reapply for Coupons Needed for Digital Television Conversion

Durbin Asks Officials to Allow Consumers to Reapply for Coupons Needed for Digital Television Conversion

U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) sent a letter to the National Telecommunications Information Administration (NTIA) today, urging them to allow consumers to reapply for coupons that will assist with purchasing digital-to-analog converter boxes. The coupon program, which NTIA administers, has been plagued by low redemption rates and concerns about the availability of converter boxes. The converter boxes will allow households that receive over-the-air television broadcasts to continue to receive a picture after the planned switch from analog to digital broadcasts on February 17, 2009.

"I have heard repeated concerns about consumers who requested coupons early in the process, only to face limited or expensive choices in converter boxes," Durbin wrote. "Converter boxes have also been unavailable or out of stock, especially in rural areas. I encourage you, funds permitting, to allow consumers with expired coupons to reapply so that their coupons may be reissued."

In Illinois, nearly 400,000 coupons issued to qualifying households have expired. Nationally, only 10 million coupons have been redeemed out of the nearly 26 million coupons that were distributed. The lack of response to the coupon program highlights concerns that households are not receiving information about, or not understanding the implications of, next February's transition.

It is estimated that more than 20 million households, including 700,000 in Illinois, rely solely on over-the-air television broadcasts. Many of those households are low-income, elderly, non-English speaking, minority, disabled or rural. As a result, these households are more likely to be unaware of the transition or have an incomplete understanding of the change.

As Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government, Durbin recently approved a Federal Communication Commission (FCC) request to use $12 million in prior year funds for digital television education and consumer outreach programs. In addition, Durbin also recommended $20 million for the Commission in Fiscal Year 2009 to continue these activities.

In July, Durbin wrote to the Chairman of the FCC, asking him for regular updates to the agency's plans on ensuring the American public is prepared for the transition from analog to digital television next year.

A copy of today's letter can be found below:

September 18, 2008

The Honorable Meredith Attwell Baker
Acting Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information
National Telecommunications Information Administration
Herbert C. Hoover Building
U.S. Department of Commerce
1401 Constitution Avenue, N.W.
Washington, DC 20230

Dear Ms. Baker:

As you are aware, on February 17, 2009, all full-power television stations in the United States will stop broadcasting in analog and start broadcasting only in digital. Households with analog sets will no longer be able to receive service unless they purchase a converter box, obtain a television set with digital capabilities, or subscribe to a cable or satellite service.

Under the Digital Television Transition and Public Safety Act of 2005, Congress directed NTIA to administer a coupon program to assist consumers with purchasing digital-to-analog converter boxes. By statute coupons expire 90 days after issuance. In Illinois, 1.3 million coupons have been requested but only 530,000 have been redeemed and nearly 400,000 have already expired. As many as 700,000 households in my state rely on analog sets, and many of these households are low-income, elderly, disabled, non-English speaking, minority, or live in rural areas.

I have heard repeated concerns about consumers who requested coupons early in the process, only to face limited or expensive choices in converter boxes. Converter boxes have also been unavailable or out of stock, especially in rural areas. I encourage you, funds permitting, to allow consumers with expired coupons to reapply so that their coupons may be reissued.

The digital television transition will provide improved picture and sound quality for consumers, offer over-the-air broadcasters the ability to offer more channels of programming, and make more broadcast spectrum available for wireless broadband or public safety communications. It is important that all consumers are able to effectively use the coupons and benefit from the transition to digital television.

Thank you for your consideration. I look forward to your response.

Sincerely,
Dick Durbin United States Senator

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