Getting ready for the conversion from analog to digital television

The MA Department of Telecommunications and Cable has issued a notice regarding the upcoming conversion from analog to digital television. Elder consumers are a large audience that may be affected by this change.

At midnight on February 17, 2009, full power broadcast stations will be required to stop broadcasting in analog format. Digital TV will replace the analog system. There are several ways to prepare for this:

• Buy a new TV that has a built-in ATSC tuner. • Buy a Digital-to-Analog Converter Box. • Subscribe to a Cable TV or Satellite TV service.

Since VCRs and DVD players also have built-in analog NTSC tuners, they are also subject to the effects of the analog cut-off date.

To help curb the cost impact for analog TV owners, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and the U.S. Department of Commerce developed a converter box program to allow analog TV owners to request coupons towards the purchase of a digital-to-analog converter box.

The coupons will be available from January 1, 2008 to March 31, 2009. All households that own a TV using over-the-air analog reception are eligible. Coupons, which will look like plastic gift cards, will be redeemable through local electronic stores.

Households may request two $40 coupons toward the purchase of digital-to-analog converter boxes beginning by calling 888-DTV-2009, (1-888-388-2009) or on-line at HYPERLINK “http://www.DTV2009.gov” www.DTV2009.gov, which also provides answers to frequently asked questions.

Coupons will be forwarded via U.S. mail.