Digital TV technology has been around since the late ‘90s, however in the US it hasn’t caught on as a standard, until now that is. Wishing to free up broadcast frequencies, Congress has ordered a nationwide switch to DTV. Having yet to be implemented in February next year, the switch was first tested on an entire town in North Carolina.

Wilmington, N.C. is as of Monday, the first U.S. city to use DTV exclusively. The FCC, which is overseeing the nationwide switch, has used Wilmington as a test-bed, not as much for the technology itself, as for the implementation and social reaction. So far, it seems positive.

Digital TV uses a discrete, digital signal for broadcasting, which not only occupies less bandwidth than the older system of analog signals, but increases quality of image and sound within that same bandwidth. The change has been noticed by the 180,000 residents of Wilmington, who despite some limited trouble installing the converters required to receive the new system of broadcast on older television sets which are unable to receive digitally, have responded very well to the new format.

The converters cost at around $40 to $80 and in response the government is offering two $40 coupons per household.

Mayor Bill Saffo and FCC chief Kevin Martin flipped the symbolic switch on Monday for Wilmington, but the switch is scheduled to affect the entire country until February 17^th. Approximately 2,000 low-power TV stations are exempt from the change, but the FCC reports that even some of these are voluntarily making the switch. It should be noted that only aerial broadcast television stations and receivers will be affected. Cable and satellite remain unchanged.