Senior Citizen Nursing and Residential Care
Facilities Offered Free Digital Converter Boxes
SolidSignal.com has launched community relations
program help seniors stay tuned to TV
April 21, 2009 Nursing homes, assisted living
facilities and similar institutions can obtain free digital TV converter
boxes for residents by obtaining a government discount coupon and
ordering through SolidSignal.com. The company will also provide free
shipping and free support by telephone as part of their community
relations program.
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The looming national transition from analog to
digital television has caused a great deal of confusion and stress for
many people, especially those in residential care facilities who are
unclear, or still unaware, about how to acquire a converter box so they
can continue to watch free local broadcasts, said Jerry Chapman, CEO of
SolidSignal.com.
An additional issue for consumers with regard to
the digital transition is the expense. While the U.S. government is
offering two $40 coupons per household to subsidize the purchase of the
devices, the average retail price of a digital converter box is over $50
and the least expensive new model sells for about $46 so the consumer
still has some cost to bear, the company says.
During these challenging economic times, unplanned
expenses can be a real setback, especially for seniors who live on fixed
incomes, said Chapman.
It is because of this expense -- plus all the
confusion about the transition -- that SolidSignal.com has decided to
offer digital converter boxes and technical support to local nursing
facility residents at no cost to them or the facility.
To obtain the free converter boxes from Solid
Signal.com, each facility must apply for the government coupons made
specifically available to the general category of nursing homes.
The
online application for the government coupon can be filled out at
www.dtv2009.gov.
Once the coupons are received, the facility
director can call Solid Signal.com toll free at 1-866-374-4625 to place
the order to receive the converter boxes that will receive digital TV
signals after the transition.
The facility will receive one government
coupon-eligible converter box for each coupon it redeems on behalf of a
resident.
SolidSignal.com will ship all boxes free-of-charge
to the facility for distribution to residents, and provide free
technical assistance and installation support by phone.
SolidSignal.com is offering this program to
residential care facilities nationwide through June 12, 2009, the
digital broadcast transition date, while inventory is available.
To date SolidSignal.com has sold nearly 150,000
digital converter boxes.
More information about the government mandated
transition to digital television broadcasting is available from the
National Telecommunications and Information Administration at
www.ntia.doc.gov.
SolidSignal.com says it specializes in
distributing the latest in high-tech equipment and product research to
professional media installers and the tech-savvy consumer. The online
retailer says it offers thousands of products from some of the most
trusted and recognized brands in the world. SolidSignal.com is an
Internet Retailer 500 Company with revenues of $14.6 million in 2008. In
2007 and 2008 SolidSignal.com made the Inc. 5000 list as one of the
fastest growing companies in the United States.
For more information about SolidSignal.com, visit
www.solidsignal.com.
About the TV Converter Box Coupon Program
The Digital Television Transition and Public Safety
Act of 2005 Act originally required full-power television stations to
cease analog broadcasts and switch to digital by February 17, 2009.
The Act authorized NTIA to create the TV Converter
Box Coupon Program, which was funded initially by airwaves auction
proceeds. The Act originally funded the Program at $1.5 billion, which
included a limit of $1.34 billion for ordered and redeemed coupons, with
the remaining $160 million covering administrative costs. Funds are
obligated as coupons are issued.
If coupons are not used and expire, those funds are
returned to the Program to fill requests. Although, persons holding
expired coupons can apply for replacements. (Click
for more information)
On January 4, 2009, the Coupon Program reached its
initial $1.34 billion obligation limit for active and redeemed coupons
and established a waiting list of coupon requests. On February 17, 2009,
President Obama signed into law the American Recovery and Reinvestment
Act of 2009 (ARRA), which provides funding to implement DTV Delay Acts
extension of the Coupon Program. Specifically, the ARRA authorizes $650
million for additional coupons and related activities.
The transition to digital broadcast television will
free up the airwaves for better communications among emergency first
responders and for new telecommunications services and offers consumers
a clearer picture and more programming choices.
The TV Converter Box Coupon Program permits all
households to request up to two coupons - each worth $40 - toward the
purchase of certified converter boxes. Coupons may be requested while
supplies last, and only one coupon can be used for each coupon-eligible
converter box.
Consumers can purchase a converter box at one of
the more than 32,000 participating local, phone or online retailer
locations. Consumers will receive a list of eligible converter boxes
and participating retailers with their coupons and may search for a
local retailer on-line at
https://www.dtv2009.gov/VendorSearch.aspx.
Consumers should call stores before shopping to
ensure the desired converter box is available. Converter boxes
generally cost between $40 and $80 without a coupon, and coupons expire
90 days from the date they are mailed.
When consumers receive their coupons in the mail,
they should buy a converter box as soon as possible, and try the box
with their television to address any potential technical issues. Some
viewers watch programs over translators or other low-power stations,
which may continue broadcasting analog signals after the digital
television transition deadline. Those viewers may wish to select a
converter box that will pass through analog signals.
How to apply
Households may apply for coupons online at
www.DTV2009.gov, by phone at 1-888-DTV-2009 (1-888-388-2009), via fax at
1-877-DTV-4ME2 (1-877-388-4632) or by mail to P.O. Box 2000, Portland,
OR 97208-2000. Deaf or hard of hearing callers may dial 1-877-530-2634
(English TTY) or 1-866-495-1161 (Spanish TTY). Nursing home residents
may apply with the paper application available downloadable at
www.DTV2009.gov. For more information about the Coupon Program, please
visit www.DTV2009.gov and for questions about the DTV transition, go to
www.dtv.gov or call 1-888-CALL-FCC.
Information Source:
About the National Telecommunications and
Information Administration
The National Telecommunications and Information
Administration is an agency in the U.S. Department of Commerce that
serves as the executive branch agency principally responsible for
advising the President on telecommunications and information policies.
For more information about the NTIA, visit www.ntia.doc.gov.
About the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
of 2009
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009
(Recovery Act) was signed into law by President Obama on February 17,
2009. It is an unprecedented effort to jumpstart our economy, create or
save millions of jobs, and put a down payment on addressing
long-neglected challenges so our country can thrive in the 21st century.
The Act is an extraordinary response to promote economic recovery and
growth, and includes measures to modernize our nation's infrastructure,
enhance energy independence, expand educational opportunities, preserve
and improve affordable health care, provide tax relief, and protect
those in greatest need.
>> For more information about the American Recovery
and Reinvestment Act, visit
http://www.Recovery.gov.
