The Consumers Union has asked the United States Congress to delay the nation’s transition to digital television, claiming that the program aimed at helping people get accustomed to the change had been underfunded and inadequately implemented.

In a letter sent to President Bush, President-elect Barack Obama, House  Commerce Committee Chairman Henry A. Waxman and Senate Commerce Committee Chairman John D. Rockefeller, the union stated the the Congress should delay the transition until a plan is drawn up for minimizing the number of viewers that would lose TV  signals.

Beginning February 17, when the switch to digital television is completed, analog TV sets relying on rooftop antennas so as to receive broadcast will need a converter box in order to continue getting a picture.

Unfortunately, a couple of days ago, the federal government said it no longer had the necessary funds to provide people with coupons that would reduced the cost of the converter boxes.

Daniel Reilly, a spokesman for  Rep. Edward J. Markey, chairman of the House subcommittee on telecommunications and the Internet, said that the transition had to be postponed until all the people needing coupons came into their possession.

As of Sunday, viewers requesting $40 vouchers to help buy converter boxes are being added to a waiting list, but federal officials informed that not all of them would be getting the coupons in due time.

Given that a converter box’s price ranges from $50 to $80 in retail stores, the Congress allocated $1.34 billion to help people purchase the devices in order for the transition not to leave anybody without TV signal.