DTV Coupons

[WPPCProductions]

I was listening to the news on my radio last night while I was getting ready  to  retire for the evening. Then I heard a report on the dtv fund for the $40 dollar coupon is about to run  dry. Did anybody hear the same news as I did.The report said the money for the coupons was a underestimated for the total amount of  analog viewers.please clearify that  if I heard this wrong,or  I was hearing this report when I was log into la,la land,"Dreamland".

[PTBoardOp94]

You heard the report properly.

[landtuna]

The part of the story you evidently missed was that the "missing money" would likely be restored as unused coupons expired (they expire 90 days from mailing).  However, that isn't likely to be in time before the Feb 17th cutover. 

I'm making popcorn.  Should be fun to watch!

[ansky212]

I'm wondering how many people may have applied for coupons thinking they needed one (or two) when they really didn't (i.e. cable/satellite customers).

[dhett]

I think we need $1 billion to bail out the DTV converter coupon industry.  What say you?

[landtuna]

I'm wondering how many people may have applied for coupons thinking they needed one (or two) when they really didn't (i.e. cable/satellite customers).

The gubmint freely admits they had no way of filtering out cable/satellite customers applying for coupons.  They only asked upon application if the household received programming OTA (1 or more sets).

I applied for the coupons because I have one set which is OTA only and wanted a backup in the event my DirecTV feed goes down for any reason.  Perhaps others did likewise.

[philosofy]

I'm pretty sure that I read the value of any coupons that don't get redeemed gets dumped back in the pot to be redistributed. Of course a ton of people are requesting them now as we hit the deadline and the gov has formed a waiting list.