[opendtv] Update: House DTV transition plan includes set-top subsidy
- From: "Manfredi, Albert E" <albert.e.manfredi@xxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 19 Dec 2005 14:27:06 -0500
So which will it be? Feb 18 2009 or April 7, 2009? Either
way, it looks like $40 is the price point to shoot for in
basic ATSC STBs.
Bert
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Update: House DTV transition plan includes set-top subsidy
George Leopold
(12/19/2005 11:04 AM EST)
URL: http://www.eetimes.com/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=3D175006379
WASHINGTON - The House voted Sunday (Dec. 18) to establish
a 2009 deadline for ending U.S. analog broadcasting and the
start of all-digital TV services. The Feb. 18, 2009,
transition date was part of a massive budget reconciliation
bill approved over the weekend in the House. The bill passed
by a vote of 216-206.
The House bill authorizes the National Telecommunications
and Information Administration to launch a "digital-to-analog
converter box program" to allow viewers without DTV receivers
to continue receiving a broadcast signals. The bill allocates
up to $990 million for the program, which would allow U.S.
households to obtain up to two, $40 converter-box coupons.
The measure was initially approved by the House Energy and
Commerce Committee. Panel Chairman Joe Barton, R-Texas, said
in a statement that "the DTV legislation brings needed
certainty to allow consumers, broadcasters, cable and
satellite operators, manufacturers, retailers, and government
to prepare for the end of the transition."
The Senate voted last month to set April 7, 2009, as the
deadline for U.S. broadcasters to switch to digital broadcasts.
Lawmakers want to use unused analog TV spectrum for broadband
wireless and public-safety applications.
Spectrum auctions associated with the reclaimed spectrum are
expected to generate an estimated $10 billion in revenues.
The bill also includes up to $1 billion in grants to help
public-safety agencies obtain and deploy interoperable
communications. Recent hurricane disaster relief efforts
illustrated how the lack of interoperable communications
hampered rescue efforts.
All material on this site Copyright 2005 CMP Media LLC.
All rights reserved.
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