# Presentation: 763327

## DTV CONVERTER COUPON PROGRAM PUBLIC MEETING ON THE FINAL RULE

**Bernadette McGuire-Rivera**
**OTIA Associate Administrator**
**Anita Wallgren**
**Program Director**
**Anthony Wilhelm**
**Director, Consumer Education & Public Information**
**William Cooperman**
**Director, OTIA Broadcast Division**
** ****March 19, 2007**
**National Telecommunications and Information Administration**
**U.S. Department of Commerce**
**www.ntia.doc.gov **

## Key Staff Contacts

- Anita Wallgren
-  Retailers
- Manufacturers
- Program Operations
- Tony Wilhelm
- Consumers
- Partners
- Public Outreach
- Bill Cooperman
- Converter Specifications

## RFP Questions?

- _Please hold until Bidder’s Conference_
- Contact Diane Trice, NOAA
- 301-713-0838 x 102
- Diane.Trice@noaa.gov

## The Digital Transition Is Underway ...

- Over-the-air consumers have many choices:
- Subscribe to cable, satellite, or other pay TV service
- Buy new digital television
- Purchase a converter
- What is the converter coupon program?

## PART 1

**	**

**COUPON PROGRAM BASICS**

## Coupon Program Basics (con’t)

- Eligibility
- All households may receive coupons while the initial funding of $990M is available
- If contingent funds ($510M) are necessary, those funds will go only to over-the-air households

## Coupon Program Basics (con’t)

- Coupon Value and Use Restrictions
- Worth $40
- Up to 2 may be requested per household
- Cannot be combined toward purchase of single converter
- Cannot be used for products other than eligible converters
- Electronically trackable
- Expire after 90 days

## Coupon Program Basics (con’t)

- Application Process
- Law requires consumers to request
- Asking for info necessary to complete request
- Name
- Address
- Number of coupons

## Coupon Program Basics (con’t)

- Application Process
- Applications will be widely available
- Can request online, over the phone, via fax or through the mail
- Law requires coupons be sent to households via U.S. Postal Service
- Toll-free contact center and website

## PART 2

**	**

**CONSUMER EDUCATION & PUBLIC OUTREACH**

## Consumer Education Strategy

- Focus on households most likely to lose TV service:
- Rural households
- Minority residents
- Seniors
- Economically disadvantaged
- Disability community
- Focus on the converter and the Coupon Program

## Consumer Education Strategy (con’t)

- Develop clear message and use consistently in the media
- Develop partnerships with groups who can reach target populations

## Consumer Education Strategy (con’t)

- Encourage broad voluntary participation
- PSAs to blanket the nation and raise awareness
- Earned media
- Information at point of sale to make consumers aware of their choices
- Work closely with the DTV Transition Coalition and other stakeholders

## Consumer Education Next Steps

- NTIA to hold regular public meetings to seek input and inform the public
- Partnership opportunities – please call 202-482-6260

## PART 3

**	**

**RETAILER CERTIFICATION**

## Retail Stores

- Retailers are crucial to program success
- Store front and online CE retailers
- Certification will expedite coupon redemption and minimize waste, fraud and abuse

## Retail Stores (con’t)

- Stores will stock converters as they see fit
- Database will
- Authenticate coupon
- Match against certified converter
- Initiate payment to retail store
- Track coupon inventory
- Retailers will train employees

## Retail Stores (con’t)

- To participate:
- In CE retail business for at least one year
- Central Contract Registration _[www.ccr.gov](http://www.ccr.gov/)_
- Redeem electronically trackable coupons and provide data required by NTIA
- Cooperate with audits

## PART 4

**	**

**CONVERTER  SPECIFICATIONS**

## Converters	

- NTIA’s specifications apply to coupon program only
- Manufacturer may design and build products not for use with coupon that include D-A conversion
- Today’s state of the art technology should ensure good performance at low cost

## Converters (con’t)	

- Minimum Requirements
- Technical Appendix 1
- Based on joint recommendation of consumer electronics industry and broadcasters
- Permitted features – in Technical Appendix 2
- Disqualifying features - in Technical Appendix 2

## Converters (con’t)

- NTIA will approve each make and model to be offered for purchase with coupon
- Manufacturers will self-test to ensure compliance with requirements
- Submit test results and 2 converters to NTIA for review
- FCC may test if requested by NTIA
- NTIA will notify manufacturers and input product info to database for retail stores

## Required Features

- All channel tuner 2–69
- Display all DTV formats
- Display all multicast channels
- Display program information (PSIP)
- Input:  RF (F connector)
- Output:  RF & Composite (3 RCA plugs)
- Remote Control
- Energy Standards

## Permitted Features

- Smart antenna input
- Program guides
- Analog pass-through
- BTSC stereo in RF output
- Automatic software upgrades
- Programmable remote control
- Battery operated converter boxes
- Meet ENERGY STAR standards

## Disqualifying Features

- Integrated video displays
- No TVs or monitors
- Audio/video recording or playback
- No DVD, VCR. HDDVD, BlueRay
- Digital outputs
- No HDMI, DVI, VGA
- Sale conditioned on purchase of another item

## Conclusion

- To learn more about the digital television transition, visit:
- _[www.dtv.gov](http://www.dtv.gov/)_
- _[www.dtvtransition.org](http://www.dtvtransition.org/)__ _
- _[www.myceknowhow.com](http://www.myceknowhow.com/)__ _
- _[www.ntia.doc.gov](http://www.ntia.doc.gov/)__ _

## Conclusion

- QUESTIONS?
- COUPONINFO@NTIA.DOC.GOV

**Thank you for your interest in helping raise consumer awareness about the DTV Converter Program**