Baker: NTIA Can Allow Reapplication for Coupons

Acting National Telecommunications and Information Administration Head Meredith Attwell Baker: Agency Has Authority to Allow Consumers to Reapply for DTV-to-Analog Converter-Box Coupons

By John Eggerton -- Broadcasting & Cable, 5/8/2008 5:55:00 PM

Acting National Telecommunications and Information Administration head Meredith Attwell Baker said Thursday that the NTIA has the authority to allow consumers to reapply for digital-TV-to-analog converter-box coupons, which expire after 90 days.

A group of senators sent her a letter this week suggesting that the NTIA should allow for reapplication, as well as for viewers to use the coupons for converter boxes that weren't yet on the shelves. The first converter-box coupons issued begin expiring in the next several weeks.

At a Federal Communications Commission press conference to announce the FCC-backed Wilmington, N.C., DTV test market -- commercial stations are pulling the plug early -- Baker said the NTIA would not have to go back to Congress to get the authority to extend the expiration date or reissue the coupons. “We can change it," she added, "but there would have to be a notice and comment period."

Asked whether she planned to change the rules, she would only say that the NTIA was asked to look at it "as soon as some of our redemption data comes in." The agency wants to see how many people are redeeming the coupons out of those who requested them.

Baker said the NTIA was working with the FCC and retailers to make sure that Wilmington had enough DTV-to-analog converter boxes available. She added that 5% of the market applied for some 23,000 coupons, with more than 30 Wilmington-area stores supplying the boxes.