The TV Converter Box Coupon Program

Snapshot:

• Congress established the coupon program to help OVER-THE-AIR TV viewers watch digital TV on non-digital (analog ) TVs. 
  

• COUPONS ARE STILL AVAILABLE!  Each household (with a U.S. postal address) can request up to two coupons worth $40 each.  A nursing home resident can request one coupon.
  

• Each coupon can be applied to the purchase of one "eligible" digital TV converter box.

• Most electronics retailers are selling digital converters and will accept the coupons.
  

• Coupons can be requested online at this website: www.dtv2009.gov.  Coupon requests are free.
  

• Coupons can be requested by phone at this 24 hour hotline: 1-888-DTV-2009 (1-888-388-2009).  Also by TTY, by mail, and by fax (see below).
  

• Coupons can be requested as long as supplies last, through July 31, 2009.
  

• Coupons are only good for 90 days from their mailing date, and then they expire and are useless. 
  

• If you will need one or two coupons, apply now and purchase converters to start watching digital TV as soon as you can. 
  

• EXPIRED coupons can be replaced.  If you received a coupon that has expired, you can request a replacement through the standard request website.

The transition to all-digital broadcasting for FULL POWER TV stations is required by law,  so the U.S. Congress wanted to be sure that viewers who watch TV OVER-THE-AIR with an ANTENNA could continue to watch the DIGITAL channels on their older, ANALOG TVs.  To support this, Congress created a "TV Converter Box Coupon Program."  The program allows each U.S. household to request up to two coupons worth $40 each.  Each coupon can be applied toward the purchase of one "eligible" digital TV Converter box.  Think of a converter coupon as a "gift card" that can be used to help purchase one converter. 

How many coupons are available?  In the initial program, a total of 33.5 million coupons were funded with a $1.34 billion fund.  All those coupons have been redeemed or are still active.  The U.S. Stimulus Bill provided another $650 million to the coupon program, which includes support for 12.25 million more coupons. 

How many coupons have been requested?  As of June 10, 60.2 million coupons have been requested by 32.5 million households.  Over 59 million coupons have been mailed out.  Over 30.9 million have been redeemed to purchase a converter box.  5.9 million coupons are active and 22.2 million have expired.  About 55% of the coupons are being redeemed before they expire.  The coupon agency now gets an average of 114,000 coupon requests every day (up from an average of 91,000 requests a day in the last 30 days).

What TVs needs a converter box?  A TV will need a converter box if it is used for watching local TV stations over-the-air, using an antenna, and it is not connected to a SUBSCRIPTION TV service like CABLE TV or SATELLITE TV, and it does not have a digital or "ATSC" tuner.  There may be TVs like this even in homes that have cable TV or satellite TV on some TV sets.  Some TV stations, called "LOW POWER" stations or "TV TRANSLATORS," will not change to digital, and analog TVs will continue to receive those stations. 

Who can request converter box coupons?  Every U.S. household can request up to two coupons.  A household is defined as a separate living quarters with a separate U.S. postal address, including those in U.S. territories.  Households that use PO boxes to receive mail will need to provide a residential address for verification. 

As of October 20, 2008, each resident of licensed nursing homes, intermediate care facilities, and assisted living facilities can apply for one free converter box coupon, or have someone apply for a coupon on their behalf.  A special nursing home coupon application is used.

Households can apply for coupons through July 31, 2009.  They can apply for two coupons at one time, or just one coupon now and the second one later.  However, coupons will only be available as long as the supply lasts. 

After there have been two requests from one residential address, any additional requests for coupons from that address will not be processed, even if they are from different families or residents at that address.

How do I request converter box coupons?  There are four ways to request coupons:

• By phone: call the coupon program 24 hour hotline at 1-888-DTV-2009 (1-888-388-2009) (Careful: this number starts with 1-888 and NOT 1-800!); TTY 1-877-530-2634.
  

• By computer and Internet: go to www.dtv2009.gov
  

• By mail: send a coupon application to:  TV Converter Coupon Program, PO Box 2000, Portland, OR, 97208-2000.
  

• By fax: fax a coupon application to: 1-877-DTV-4ME2 (1-877-388-4632).

The contact center supports six languages besides English: Spanish, French, Russian, Vietnamese, Tagalog, and Simplified Chinese. 

The information you provide in the application will only be used to manage coupon distribution.  It won't be used for any other purposes, and your information is protected by privacy law. 

Where do I get an application?  You can click here to download and print an application.  Otherwise, you might find converter coupon application forms at your library or electronics stores.  

Where do I get a coupon application for a resident of licensed nursing home, intermediate care facility, or assisted living facility? You can click here to get the nursing home coupon form. 

How do I receive the coupons?  The coupons will come in the U.S. mail, and should arrive in less than 2 weeks after you request them.  They look like credit cards or gift cards.  With the coupons you will get instructions on how to use them; a list of "eligible" TV converter box models that you can use the coupons to buy; and a list of stores and retailers that will accept the coupons.

What are the limits on coupons?  Coupons are active for only 90 days, and the "countdown" starts when they are mailed.  They will have an expiration date on them, and once they expire, they will be worthless.   (If a coupon expires before July 31, 2009, it can be replaced until July 31, on request.) If you plan to use your coupon, use it before the expiration date!  Also, if the cards are lost or stolen, they cannot be replaced unless they expire without being used to purchase a converter box.  

Coupons have no cash value and no other use except for the purchase of eligible converters. 

If you plan to buy a converter at a local store, call electronics retailers near you ahead of time to make sure they have converters in stock.  Some stores, such as Radio Shack, will let you make a converter payment at a store, then they ship the converter directly to your home.

What can I use the coupons for?  Converter coupons can be applied toward the purchase of "eligible" TV converter boxes. These are converter boxes that the government has qualified for purchase using the coupons.  They have all the basic functions required to watch digital TV channels on an analog TV set, including a remote control.  To see a list of approved converter boxes, click here.  For more information on converter boxes, see the section "Digital TV Converter Boxes" or click here. 

How do I use a coupon?  You need to find a store that sells "eligible" converter boxes (also called "Coupon-Eligible Converter Boxes," or CECBs). The store must be a retailer that is participating in the coupon program.  These stores will usually advertise this in their TV or TV accessories departments.  Most major electronics stores are participating in the program. There are also participating retailers selling converter boxes in their catalogs or online.  Not all electronics retailers are participating in the coupon program; each store makes its own decision on that.  For a list of participating retailers, click here. 

You can use one coupon for the purchase of one eligible converter box.  The $40 coupon value will be applied to the basic price of the box.  If the box costs more than $40, you must pay the difference.  If the box costs less than $40, you can use the coupon for the full price, but you will not get a refund.  You will have to pay any taxes on the purchase. 

When you buy a converter box, you are the owner, and any store and manufacturer warranties will apply.  Keep your warranty information and receipts.  There are no subscriptions required to use the converter box. 

Once you have used a converter coupon to make a converter purchase, the coupon will be deactivated.  It is then worthless and can't be reused.  Keep it as a souvenir of the biggest change to a broadcasting system in history!

The converter coupon program is described in detail at www.dtv2009.gov.  

That's the basic information!  For the really curious, here is more information about converter box coupons.

Who is running the coupon program?  The TV Converter Box Coupon Program is being managed by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), which was given this assignment in the 2005 digital TV transition act.  The NTIA is part of the U. S. Department of Commerce, and it is the President's chief resource on telecommunications and information policy issues.  For more information on the NTIA, click here.  

What determines how many coupons are available?  In the original digital TV law, $1.5 billion dollars were allocated by Congress to the converter coupon program, which covers both the coupon payments and program administration.  $1.34 billion of the allocation was for the $40 coupons.  The new U.S. Stimulus bill signed on Feb. 18 provides another $650 million to the program, which is being used to support 12.25 million more coupons.

Will everyone who requests a coupon get one?  As mentioned above, there is a fixed amount of money to support coupons. 
But: available funding ,and therefore, the number of coupons that can be distributed, also depends on how many coupons are actually redeemed.  When coupons are redeemed, the funds are used to reimburse the stores that sold the converters.  But if coupons expire before they are used, then the money that was reserved for them is not paid out, and that money can be reallocated to future coupons.  Presently 56% of all the coupons that have been mailed out have been redeemed to purchase a converter. 

No matter how many coupons are still available, the coupon request period will end on July 31, 2009. 

For a household that needs a converter, can only residents of that household request coupons?  The coupon application has to be in the name of a resident, and with their address, but a non-resident can help that household make the application.  For example, if you have a relative or friend who needs help completing the coupon application, it would be appropriate and kind to help them submit their request.  Plus you could help them make a converter box purchase with their coupon, and even help install it.  Many civic, community and faith groups are setting up programs to help their members go through the application, purchase, and installation process. 

If there are several families or living groups at the same address, can each group apply for two coupons?  By law, only two coupons will be issued to that address, on a "first come, first serve" basis.  Perhaps each group at the address can request just one coupon. 

Can I give  a coupon to someone who is not a member of my household?   Yes, you can give your coupon to others , such as those who can't get coupons of their own, or who have coupons that have expired.  Some faith and community groups are asking their members to apply for coupons which will then be donated to families or organizations (firehouses, shelters, prisons, etc.) that can't apply on their own.

Can I sell the coupons I get?   It is illegal to sell the coupons or tamper with or duplicate them.  However, coupon owners can donate their coupons to others.

If I buy a converter with my coupon, can I sell or give the converter away?  Yes.  When you purchase a converter, it is your personal property and you can use it any way you like.  It is not assigned to you or your address, and it can be used anywhere.  The government does not track it. 

Do I need a coupon to buy a converter box?  No. Converter boxes are simply TV accessories sold by retailers; they can be bought by anyone, anytime, and are subject to store and manufacturer warranties.  If you're in a hurry to get a converter box, or have more than two TVs that need converter boxes, you can purchase them without using coupons. 

If I've already bought a converter box, can I get a coupon and take it to the store for a rebate?  No.  The coupon program is not a rebate program.  You can only use a coupon at the time of purchase, so you need to have a coupon before buying a converter. 

Can coupons be used to buy anything besides an eligible converter box?  No.  No DVDs, no DVRs, no TVs. Just eligible converters. 

If I return a converter that I bought using a coupon, will I get a cash or credit refund?  The retailer, depending on their policy, may give you credit towards another eligible converter, but you will not get back the coupon value of $40 in cash or credit. 

Why doesn't the government pay the full cost of converters, since it is requiring the transition to digital TV?  Congress created the coupon program as a shared effort with consumers.  With consumers having to apply for coupons and pay the price difference over $40, the program helps ensure that truly needy households are getting the benefit of the coupons. Plus the coupon program allows consumers to choose whatever converter model they want, which encourages many manufacturers to produce converters. 

How does the $40 value of the coupons get used up?  For each coupon that a store accepts in payment for an  eligible converter, the store gets paid a reimbursement from the converter program for the actual cost of the converter, up to $40.  The reimbursement comes out of the converter program fund. 

Do expired or unused coupons take money out of the treasury?  No.  If a coupon expires before it is used, then no retail store has to be reimbursed for the coupon purchase, and the money that has been reserved for the coupon is released back to the converter fund.

So are my taxes being used to pay for coupons so other people can keep watching television?  Congress expected that the coupon program would be paid for from a fraction of the funds earned from the auction of the TV channels that will be opened up after the analog channel shutoff.  And that has happened: bids on the new channels amounted to nearly $20 billion, well above the current coupon program allocation of $2 billion. 

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CAPITALIZED WORDS are defined in the Digital TV Glossary.