The transition to digital TV from February 17 was thought to be the biggest advance in over-the-air television from this year, but it seems that the Congress’ plan to switch to such a transmission will be delayed due to the fact that many viewers can still remain without a picture on their TVs.
President-elect Barack Obama asked the Congress to postpone the switch to all-digital broadcast television, called DTV. Yet, no one could say for how long will be postponed, but the government needs some time to fix the help program which ran out of money last Sunday.
During this time, they will also be able to check on everything they had promised when the switch occurs. Sharper pictures and more free channels are what the Congress promised to the consumers, together with free wireless access to the Internet for public safety.
Yet, the government took 19.6 billion from last year’s auction, which was set to give away the existing analog TV airwaves in exchange for new wireless services. But only $2 billion from this money went to educate consumers about the transition and the $40 coupons they needed to buy the converter boxes.
And now, as a result, nearly 7.7 million households all around the United States might find their TVs turning dark starting next month. On Thursday, there was plenty of bad humor about the failure derived from this plan, because many people and telecom companies can’t wait to start using the new airwaves.
Joel Kelsey, a long-time critic of the transition as policy analyst with Consumers Union, one of the ones who accepted the delay from last week, said that it’s hard to find a responsible for this scandal, but it’s certain that “it was a giant miscalculation” which came from the federal government.
Other lawmakers tried to postpone the release of the digital signals as to give the administration more time to fix the given problems as long as others believed that postponing this release would only cause panic. In addition, a spokesman for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said the relevant committees were working with Obama's transition team to find a solution to the problems.
The Congress decided the switch to digital broadcast back in 2005 especially because of the new wireless use for public safety, which was considered more and more necessary after the September 11 attacks.
Yet, the people who have cable, satellite or phone company TV services will go on receiving broadcast stations. On the other hand, the ones who use antennas as to watch television will have to get a new TV with digital receiver or to buy the converter box.
At first, the government gave 1.34 billion for the coupons, but on Monday, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration said the program had used all allocated funds. Now there are 1.1 million requests on the waiting list which will be filled by more millions as the 90-days coupons expire.
