The digital TV transition occurs on February 17th, 2009. That's just over a year from today. But many people are getting concerned that consumers just aren't ready for the analog-to-digital transition.
In recent weeks, there have been reports that the FCC was considering pushing back the digital transition. However,
the FCC chief said at CES that the February 2009 date was a "hard deadline" and that postponing the date would "dis-incentivize" the industry.
The CEO for Best Buy said that he was "very nervous" about being able to supply consumers with digital TV converter boxes. Consumers that don't upgrade to a new digital TV set will have to use these converter boxes in order to continue to watch TV. That's because broadcasters will be shutting off their analog transmissions and going digital.
In December 2007,
a study by the Government Accounting Office said that the U.S. has no real comprehensive plan for preparing viewers for the transition.
"Despite efforts by the public and private sectors and ongoing coordination, we found that no comprehensive plan for the transition exists," the GAO said.
If you're stuck with an old-fashioned TV set with a regular antenna (no cable or satellite) you should either upgrade to a new digital set or buy a digital converter box.
However,
not everyone thinks that supply of the boxes will ready in 13 months.
"I think it's one of the biggest risks our industry has," [Best Buy's] vice chairman and CEO Brad Anderson told an industry audience at the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
Nielsen says that about 14.3 million households still are using over-the-air television. So this is either a golden opportunity for TV providers like cable, telecom and satellite companies, or for digital TV manufacturers.
Another problem is customer education. Many people are still confused about what the digital transition means and if they'll still be able to watch TV.
Major retailers say that boxes will be on sale soon, costing between $40 and $70.
Additionally,
National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) is offering $40 coupons to households that own analog sets and want to buy a digital-analog converter box.
Interested in getting a coupon? Visit
www.dtv2009.gov and apply online.
[tags] NTIA, digital TV, digital transition, DTV, HDTV, analog to digital, FCC, digital TV transition [/tags]
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[...] month, I wrote a post about some anxiety about the public’s readiness for the transition. This study is very interesting because it breaks down information on readiness by age, race, [...]