Nevertheless, the governmental program that subsidizes the acquisition of conversion boxes of digital sign to analogical is on the point of remaining without funds.

The persons with recipients of analogical sign that receive it by means of antennas will not be able to see the habitual programming when the change happens.

To avoid it, they will have to subscribe to a reception service for cable or satellite, buy a TV set enabled for digital reception or to acquire a conversion box that can transform the digital sign received by air in analogical.

The subsidy for the buy of conversion boxes, most of which range between 40 and 80 dollars and that can be acquired without coupons, allowed to the consumers to request two coupons for 40 dollars for hearth.

Shortly the National government of Telecommunications and Information (NTIA for his initials in English) will reach the limit for 1.340 million dollars established by the Congress to finance the project.

The NTIA warned that unless the legislators should authorize more funds or should change the rules of accounting, it will have to create a waiting-list to receive coupons, for what he will be able only to send new as there expire those who have not been redeemed.

For it, if the Congress does not act with urgency, the consumers who request coupons in the last weeks before the digital transmission is completed perhaps do not get them on time.

"If the government invests only in a few million conversion boxes, which it is a water drop compared to the money destined for the plan of economic stimulus, it would be preferable to support all the connected hearths", affirmed Gene Kimmelman, vice-president of federal politics of the organization advocate of the rights of the consumers Consumers Union.

In accordance with the norms established by the Congress, which decreed the change to the digital television to create more it spread in the digital bogey, the NTIA cannot destine any more than 1.340 million dollars to finance the coupons.

This number includes the redeemed coupons, which have not expired and they were sent by mail but they still have not been redeemed and the requested ones but that still have not been sent.

The analysts of the business of the television of the signature Nielsen Co. thought that until December, 6,8 % of 114 million hearths with television was not prepared to receive the digital transmission. Other 10 % had at least a device that was not prepared.


(AFP, 05/01/09)