Digital TV Converter Coupons Expiring Before They Can Be Used
The government coupon program for digital converter boxes for older television sets is stirring up controversy as the coupons begin to expire before customers can get their hands on one. Stores have had trouble getting the converter boxes in stock, which are necessary to continue watching television over the air on older sets after the analog-to-digital switchover in February 2009.
Congress is complaining loudly about the failure of the program, which was intended to ease the financial pressures on consumers surrounding the switchover. Roughly 8.5 million homes have requested 16 million coupons, but only 3 million have been redeemed so far. Even worse, almost 900,000 have already expired and only 42 percent of those were redeemed.
Congress is looking into issuing new coupons or extending the expiration date, but one thing is for certain -- if almost 60-percent of the coupons are expiring before customers can use them, the government will have a major problem on its hands. [Source: MSNBC]
Filed under: Audio/Video, TV
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
TVGenius @ Jun 12th 2008 12:12AM
The blame needs to be put both on NTIA and the manufacturers of the boxes then. There's no reason for the coupons to have expiration dates, or better yet, how about the end of next February?
At least in my area, both Best Buy and Circuity City usually have at least 10-15 sitting on the floor, and I know of several websites they can be ordered through also.
At the same time, it seems there's been a delay getting a lot of them to market. I was interested in the E*/Sling TR-40 for both my parents and grandparents, but since I encouraged them to sign up for the coupons early, their coupons are literally expiring the week it goes on sale now (instead of March like originally said). Fortunately I was able to find a website where they could 'pre-order' and get one for sure.
Yankees368 @ Jun 12th 2008 3:40PM
Can you PLEASE share the website where you pre-ordered it from?
Michael Lowe @ Jun 20th 2008 2:27AM
I would also appreciate a link to the 'pre-order' site for the TR40 you found.
Thanks for your time and trouble.
Regards,
Michael