Lincoln proposal would make digital transition easier
Posted on Sunday, July 13, 2008
BENTON COUNTY — U. S. Sen. Blanche Lincoln, D-Ark., has introduced legislation that would help consumers make the transition to digital television, or DTV, Lincoln said in a Friday press release.
Sponsored by Lincoln, the Digital Television Transition Consumer Relief Act of 2008 would temporarily waive the tariff assigned to DTV converter boxes. Slated to take effect Feb. 17, 2009, the transition to DTV will require millions of households to buy converter boxes. But unforeseen import duties could unnecessarily drive up the cost of the converter boxes, Lincoln said in the release.
Under the DTV Act, fullpower broadcasters must switch off any analog signals by midnight Feb. 17, 2009, and transmit only digital signals over the air, the press release states.
Freeing up analog use of bandwidth will not only mean better pictures and sound for television viewers but also greatly enhanced communications capacity for our nation’s first responders, but Congress should make easier the required transition to DTV, Lincoln said in the release.
“ Nearly 20 million U. S. households, including 122, 150 in Arkansas, do not subscribe to cable or satellite service. In order for these viewers to retain access to television signals, they will be forced to replace their older analog TV sets, subscribe to a paid service or purchase a new converter box. Congress should do everything we can to make this transition as manageable as possible for these families, many of whom are low- to moderate-income and live in rural areas, and I encourage my colleagues to help consumers by passing this legislation, ” Lincoln said in the release.
Converter boxes are estimated to cost $ 40 to $ 70. As part of the Digital Television Transition and Public Safety Act of 2005, Congress authorized up to two $ 40 coupons per household to help purchase the converter boxes.
But earlier this year, some people have reportedly had trouble with the program’s Web site, U. S. Sen. Mark Pryor, D-Ark., said in April.
In congressional hearings in April, Lincoln’s Arkansas colleague, Pryor, said he was worried about reports that some coupon applicants might have trouble accessing the program’s Web site, http: // www. dtv 2009. gov, and urged that the site be easily accessible even to people who don’t know the Web site’s complete address.
Recently, the U. S. Customs and Border Protection classified imported converter boxes as subject to import duties that will unnecessarily increase the cost of these essential products, Lincoln said in the release.
Lincoln’s legislation would temporarily waive these duties during the digital transition, she said.
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