TV coupons are in the mail, US government says

Assistance is now available for owners of outdated analog televisions.

The federal government recently announced it will begin mailing out $40 coupons to consumers to help pay for converter boxes that will save their analog sets from becoming obsolete, reported the Associated Press.

TV viewers who get their programming over an antenna and are not connected to cable or satellite will need a converter box when full-power broadcast stations begin transmitting digital-only signals in February 2009. An estimated 13 million to 21 million U.S. households are among those using analog televisions.

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration agency is overseeing the $1.5 billion coupon program to subsidize converter-box costs, estimated to run between $40 and $70. More than 2.6 million households have requested nearly 5 million coupons since Jan. 1, the agency said.

More than 9,700 stores, including Wal-Mart, Best Buy, Circuit City, Target and Radio Shack, will be selling the special equipment in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, AP reported.

The coupons, which resemble plastic gift cards, will expire within 90 days. 

Every household is eligible to receive two coupons, regardless of whether it needs a box.  Initially, $990 million will be used to pay for coupons and cover administrative costs, which are capped at $110 million. An additional $510 million could be allocated, but those coupons are reserved for households that only have over-the-air television, says AP.

You can apply for the coupons online at http://www.dtv2009.gov or call the 24-hour hotline, 1-888-DTV-2009. The program expires March 31, 2009.