DTV Converter Box Coupon Expired: Steps You Can Take

3 Million Digital Converter Box Coupons Are Now Expired - Lawmakers Are Discussing

Tracy McCoy, Yahoo! Contributor Network
Jul 16, 2008 "Share your voice on Yahoo! websites. Start Here."

According to the July 9, 2008 program statistics published by the government at dtv2009, nearly 3 million DTV Converter Box Coupons have expired, but are they worthless?

Lawmakers are currently talking about the situation, discussing the issues about why so many coupons expired, and proposing possible solutions. The government first started issuing the $40 coupons to offset the cost of buying a converter box and they were available on a first-come, first-serve basis, starting January 1, 2008. People rushed to place their orders for the coupons, only to find that the boxes could not be found in stores. Consequently, many coupons expired without being redeemed.

As in this personal experience article, many consumers were unable to find a Digital Converter Box to buy in local stores.

What are the Latest Updates?

Let your voice be heard. The Consumers Union is asking the National Telecommunications and Information Administration to allow consumers to reapply for the coupons. You can share your own story at Consumers Union.

You can try writing to your congressman. Get the link to your congressman here: Write Your Representative

If you still have an unexpired coupon, and the retailer has no inventory, you can ask if you can pre-order a box or two. Why didn't the retailers I visited suggest placing an order for the currently out-of-stock converter boxes? Probably because it costs them money to keep track of orders on a product that they won't make any money on anyway. Some retailers may not accept pre-orders even when asked.

At Issue

Are the boxes that were produced earlier this year inferior or not offering the pass-through analog capability that they should have? Why did Best Buy tell me that better boxes are on their way to store shelves? Why have many manufacturers decide to quit making their boxes? Is it a quality issue, or are they simply making a business decision based on a very small profit margin, if any, per box?

Lawmakers are analyzing why so many coupons were unredeemed. They want to point to people not realizing the coupons had an expiration date. Many people are under the impression that the coupons are good until the over-the-air analog signal will cease in February 2009. They also may argue that people procrastinate and don't get around to purchasing the boxes. The issue of people ordering coupons that they do not intend to use themselves may come up. For instance, people may have ordered them with the intent to purchase and resell a box themselves at a profit. An eBay search today revealed over 400 boxes for sale.

These and other practices may skew the numbers. Some people are being encouraged to order coupons for others. Some organizations are advising that you can ask your neighbor to order coupons for you if they have no use for them. One site in Ohio , WOSU-TV, suggests ordering coupons even if you don't need them, so you can donate them to social service agencies which will buy the boxes to give to at-risk, or nursing home residents that might not be able to take advantage of the program otherwise. Lawmakers will also take a look at letters they receive and maybe the Consumers Union stories will catch their attention.

For now, hold onto your expired Converter Box Coupons to see what happens.

Published by Tracy McCoy

Tracy McCoy is a freelance writer and SEO web content producer living in Minnesota. View profile

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DTV Converter Box Coupon Expired: Steps You Can Take

3 Million Digital Converter Box Coupons Are Now Expired - Lawmakers Are Discussing

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