Last week, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) announced that it was changing the eligibility rules for the government digital television converter box coupon program to permit residents of nursing homes, care facilities and assisted living facilities, as well as households that use a post office box for mail delivery, to apply for and receive the coupons. Converter boxes will enable analog televisions not connected to a pay television service to continue to receive television signals after the switch to all digital broadcasting on February 17, 2009. A coupon defrays $40 of the cost of a converter. The rule change goes into effect October 20, 2008. Saying that "ensuring that no one is left behind is our top priority," U.S. Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez announced the action, long advocated by NAB.

On March 10, 2008, NAB sent a letter to NTIA urging the agency to revisit the policies that were preventing thousands of eligible seniors from participating in the digital television transition converter box coupon program. NAB pointed out that the senior community relies heavily on over-the-air antennas to receive television signals and that those who live in assisted living facilities and nursing homes should not be excluded from the converter box coupon program. On April 24, 2008 NTIA proposed changes to its rules to admit these seniors to the program, including as well as households who utilize post office boxes for mail delivery. NAB and others filed comments supporting eligibility for converter box coupons for both groups. The rule changes adopted last week entitle residents of care facilities to one converter box coupon and households who utilize post office boxes to two coupons.

You can read the NTIA press release at: http://www.ntia.doc.gov/press/2008/DTV_Rule_080916.html.