 |
       |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
 |
|
Obama calls for digital switch delay US president-elect Barack Obama has asked Congress to consider postponing the switchover to digital television, to give the government time to fix a consumer help programme that ran out of money this week. The incoming administration is concerned that millions of US viewers will lose access to TV services if the switchover deadline, on February 17, is not moved. Consumers advocacy group Consumers Union cited flaws in the federal coupon programme that subsidises converter boxes. The programme offers US$40 towards the purchase of a box, which retail for between US$50 and US$80. However, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration recently announced that funding for the programme had run out. As a result, the Consumers Union says hundreds of consumers are being added to a waiting list every day. Those who cannot receive subsidies are being told to pay for a box themselves, or sign up for a digital cable or satellite service. Although a delay is far from certain - given potential opposition from broadcasters, public safety agencies and telecoms companies eager to start using the new airwaves - there was plenty of frustration yesterday with the way the digital TV transition has been managed. "This economic climate is not the right time to ask consumers to dig deeper into their own pockets to pay for the miscalculation by the federal government," the Consumers Union wrote in a letter to lawmakers this week. The letter went on to claim that the organisation is concerned about the level of funding for on-the-ground education. It compares the US to the UK, which "is spending close to US$400m to educate a population one-fifth the size of the US about its digital broadcast transition." According to Nielsen Media Research, around 7.8 million US households, or 6.8%, still have older TV sets, despite a mammoth public marketing and education campaign. These people may see their screens going dark next month. It is thought that the global financial crisis has also contributed to slower sales of new digital TVs, as well as setting back sales of new cable and satellite TV services that do not require users to acquire special converter boxes. If the switchover date is delayed it could also stall the introduction of new wireless services. Verizon, AT&T and others are paying the US government US$19bn to acquire the freed-up spectrum, hoping to use it for upcoming high-speed wireless data services. Jules Grant 9 Jan 2009 © C21 Media 2009 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
