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The government's $1.34 billion coupon program for digital converter boxes ran out of money on Sunday.
Anybody requesting a $40 coupon to offset the cost of buying a converter box for digital TV will now be placed on a waiting list, says Meredith Baker, acting head of the Commerce Department's National Telecommunications and Information Administration.
I was at Target today getting a humidifier and the lady in front of me was buying 4 boxes w/ her coupons (which look like credit cards) and I just remembered about this and was going to sign up tonight. then I read about the wait list. no big biggie for me, I don't own a TV, and when I do eventually get around to buying one, it will be a digital flat screen. plus, my new roommate wants cable, so I guess I can wait a while. I just figure it would nice to have in case one of my relatives need one (they're very behind on the times; my dad still uses a TV from like the 80's or early 90's w/ the turn knob!). sucks that the coupon doesn't cover the full cost of the converter though, I thought they'd be free (granted, it's a small amount more, but it's the principle of the matter)
I was at Target today getting a humidifier and the lady in front of me was buying 4 boxes w/ her coupons (which look like credit cards) and I just remembered about this and was going to sign up tonight. then I read about the wait list. no big biggie for me, I don't own a TV, and when I do eventually get around to buying one, it will be a digital flat screen. plus, my new roommate wants cable, so I guess I can wait a while. I just figure it would nice to have in case one of my relatives need one (they're very behind on the times; my dad still uses a TV from like the 80's or early 90's w/ the turn knob!). sucks that the coupon doesn't cover the full cost of the converter though, I thought they'd be free (granted, it's a small amount more, but it's the principle of the matter)
A flaw in their plan.
You don't own a tv but were going to get the coupon. Frankly I considered it myself, just to get the converter box in case I didn't want to have cable at some point down the line. I do have a couple older tvs.
I wonder how many others out there are in possession of coupons that they haven't used/will not use. The program is probably not out of money yet, but has just dispersed all the coupons they could.
I wonder when the coupons expire. That is probably how long the people will be on the waiting list unless they get additional funding.
You don't own a tv but were going to get the coupon. Frankly I considered it myself, just to get the converter box in case I didn't want to have cable at some point down the line. I do have a couple older tvs.
I wonder how many others out there are in possession of coupons that they haven't used/will not use. The program is probably not out of money yet, but has just dispersed all the coupons they could.
I wonder when the coupons expire. That is probably how long the people will be on the waiting list unless they get additional funding.
true, but the coupons expire w/in 90 days (from what I've heard) and once they've expired, you've lost them forever. then those coupons go back to people on the list (ie, 100 coupons expire, they get reissued to the next 100 people on the list). it seems like they anticipated people trying to hang on to them forever. Me, I was just going to get a cheap set from the local Salvation Army if I had gotten the coupon, just to tie me over until I splurge on a nicer TV. or, my main goal, keep the converter box around in case I decide to try pulling in over-the-air HD signals as opposed to paying for cable. I think a lot of people are doing this last thing, so maybe the gov't figured the demand would be lower since most people either have cable/satellite or an HDTV. a lot of people may just want the boxes to get rid of their cable
How many months have people KNOWN about this change?
The ads even tell people that there are a "limited number" of coupons available ... to apply before they're all gone.
I have no sympathy for the people who waited until practically 30 days before the change takes place.
How do you have a "limited number of coupons" though? Everyone should get one.
Yes, people waited till the last minute, but lets face it, they didn't start heavily advertising it until, when October, November? Over the summer I didn't even realize what was going on till my uncle told me about it, and then I didn't hear ANYTHING about it on TV for a couple more months, at least.
Then BAM, the ads were everywhere.
So with that kind of advertising, a rush on the coupons could have been expected.
eevee---good thinking, I didn't even think of the people who would use this as a means to get RID of their cable. Esp. now when people are so short of cash and cable rates kind of high. Not to mention the people w/Satellite TV who don't get local channels who might depend on the antennae for this.
How many months have people KNOWN about this change?
The ads even tell people that there are a "limited number" of coupons available ... to apply before they're all gone.
I have no sympathy for the people who waited until practically 30 days before the change takes place.
Some people I know waited because of the expiration dates on the coupons. Around Christmas time is not a good thing on fixed income folks that have been saving all year to buy gifts for their loved ones. Then throw in a government forced issue on top of their monthly living expenses????
I waited because I will get rid of my satellite service once Feb comes and my contract expires. It is ridiculous paying $60 per month for junk then after 11pm mostly paid programming. Use to be 24 hours of shows on our satellite channels not anymore.
Some people I know waited because of the expiration dates on the coupons. Around Christmas time is not a good thing on fixed income folks that have been saving all year to buy gifts for their loved ones. Then throw in a government forced issue on top of their monthly living expenses????
I waited because I will get rid of my satellite service once Feb comes and my contract expires. It is ridiculous paying $60 per month for junk then after 11pm mostly paid programming. Use to be 24 hours of shows on our satellite channels not anymore.
You can afford satellite service on fixed income ??? How much does that set you back every month?
I know how you feel about being forced to do something but in reality, it's a good thing. You know, this is one of those infrastructure kinds of things that we're going to be looking at. There's going to be all kinds of inconveniences as these things get updated...
So, your satellite service expiration is in February. You should have applied for the coupons in December. Then, you would need to use them before they expire in 90 days. That works with your February cancellation date. You would get the coupon in December. Then, lets see,... December, January, February = 90 days.
Sorry,... if you didn't get coupons you need to blame yourself. It's not like they didn't make every effort to be sure that people were aware of the upcoming deadline! There's been whole programs running on how to ugrade, PBS has had shows running that even help you test your system, there have been banners going across the screen during programs, there's been commercials... it's been on the news.
I personally procrastinated for quite a while because I didn't want to deal with it and because I didn't totally understand what it entailed.... and, like you, because I felt I was being forced to do something that I didn't want to do. Once I made the upgrade, I found out that it was a good thing.
I don't buy the excuse that people weren't aware of it.
Last edited by World Citizen; 01-12-2009 at 09:48 AM..
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