DTV converter coupons: It's now or never

Use 'em or lose 'em. That's the bottom line with the $40 government coupons (seen at right) for buying digital converter boxes. Coupons expire 90 days after issue, and if you haven't used them by then, you're out of luck. You can't request a replacement.

That's a growing concern for consumers who rushed to request coupons earlier this year to ensure they didn't miss out on the program. They're anxious to buy a converter box before the coupon expires, but there are few models now in stores, and all cost more than $40, requiring shoppers to foot part of the bill. There will be $40 boxes this summer, but that's no help for those who need to redeem a coupon before then.

We just checked the websites for Best Buy, Circuit City, Radio Shack, and Wal-mart, and found that each had one or two boxes. Of the boxes listed, all but two cost $60; only Wal-mart had lower-priced models, for $50 and $53. With these four retailers, you can't buy the boxes online; they're available only in retail stores, or by phone from Radio Shack (877-773-8848) and Best Buy (877-229-3889).

Perhaps more significantly, none of those boxes have analog pass-through, a feature that consumers will need in areas served by a certain type of television stations that will continue broadcasting analog signals for some time to come. Only a handful of models now available have this feature. One such box, the Philco TB100HH9 (seen below), is available online for about $50. We’ll post our review of it soon.

For all these reasons, Consumers Union has asked the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (the agency overseeing the program) to allow consumers to reapply for coupons if they haven't used them before expiration. Joel Kelsey, a CU advocate covering such issues, said, "It is unfair to penalize consumers who acted quickly because they were told to do so."

However, the agency said re-engineering of the coupon system to handle reissues, while technically possible, would increase the administrative costs of the program significantly. For now, at least, the unused funds from expired coupons will be released to "other needy households." An agency spokesperson told us that they "would have a better understanding of the impact of the 90-day expiration and the demands on Coupon Program funds as consumers began to redeem coupons in the coming months."

If you're among the consumers affected by this deadline dilemma, you can share your story at HearUsNow.org, a Consumers Union website.

—Eileen McCooey

Comments

[everett whitney]

Mike Boone .."Toss TVs onto their Lawns..?"

Not-to-worry excessively regarding the loss of those converters! Many folks that DID buy have found these to only last a Very Short interval . . . quality-control of these Asian Boxes left much to be desired, certainly! No warranty on some & only (90) days at most!

ALL local cable now have new, limited channel offers - NONE will ever admit it, but it IS there.

Ours is via COX with ~ 22 channels at exactly $11 / mo . . . Comcast has a similar service for ~ $18 / mo.

MUCH better than Any converter/antenna + zero maintenance expense! Be very firm {as well as polite, of course!} when you call their telemarketer ... they ONLY want to promote & sell their typical ~ ~ $85 / mo packages, of course!

everett

[Mike Boone]

Will the Gov ever quit screwing the hard working middle class and poor!!!! I got my coupons but never realized that thier was an expiration date on the so quick till it was to late reapllied and they said thier was no more money alloted at this time I'd have to wait till thier was more money and that never happened now they say the offer is over and that's it Well maybe I'll go find my congressman's lawn and throw my now useless TV's on his Lawn!!

[doreen allen]

I also feel this is a scam I get the cards no place has the coverter box then the card expired...Hmmm called the DTV2009 and the customer service rep stated there was nothing they could do. So here I sit grasping for friends or family to order me more coupons in which now there is no funding available.

[john holmes]

Expiration policy sucks! Should allow extension upon request. Hopefully if Congress releases more funding to cover more coupons... ??
What are the chances even Barack's bureaucracy will respond to such low level needs.

[everett whitney]

TO: Out-of-Luck - 30 Dec -"Coupons expired before...!"

Not to despair ! Just have (1) of your friends / relatives / neighbors that are NOT using their (2) coupons apply ... program still good & available !

The "system" does NOT mark who got coupons vs whom uses them!

Good luck! - p.s.- make certain that your current antenna WILL work the Converter by trying & tuning channels now in those higher than channel #13 .... if very clear pictures / sound it will be "OK." ... if not , you will need a new antenna, too !

[everett whitney]

TO: MONA HICE - 30 Dec - ....

Please read reply for "Out-of-Luck" .. just below .

Have a better 2009!

[MONA HICE]

i GOT THE COUPONS AND BECAME VERY SICK AND WHEN i GOT TO THE STORE THIS TIME THEY HAD THE BOX BUT MY COUPON EXPIRED.bEFORE THE COUPON WAS FINE BUT NO PRODUCT.tHIS IS NOT THE CONSUMERS FAULT.i THINK YOU NEED TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE IN STOCK BEFORE COUPONS EXPIRE.i AM VERY UNHAPPY WITH THIS SO CALLED HELP.i AM ON A LIMITED BUDGET.tHIS NEEDS TO BE FIXED AND MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE STOCK IN BEFORE YOU START DEALING OUT COUPONS.tHIS IS LIKE FALSE ADVERTISEMENT.wHAT IS THE GOV. GOING TO DO NEXT???

[Out of luck?]

I think it's rididulous if our converter box "coupons" are expired we are "out of luck". Not everyone can afford to go out and buy a converter box even with the coupon they are more than 40 bucks a pop. I think this whole situation stinks. I guess my kids won't be watching alot of tv. Oh well............
signed out of luck

[everett whitney]

TO: Tom -31 Oct -"Only asked for 1 ... may I still get 2nd?"

Depends upon how fancy the Coupon computers have been programed - i.e. - it's based upon ZIP / address & "may" simply assume that all did ask for the maximum of (2) per application, regardless of whether or not anyone did so.

However, It Does have an override for those multiple request @ same address as well as more than (2)/ea ... so, no harm in trying for your (1) more.

It all ends come 30 March !

[Tom]

If I am entitled to two coupons but had previously asked for one, can I still get the other coupon if I applied for another one at a later date?

[everett whitney]

TO: Don B. - 20 Oct - "Have satellite but also some old CRTs..."

Don't know about your specific market but, as a result of FCC / local cable agreements nationwide a year + ago, all are supposed to provide a new, very basic or limited analog service thru 2012, at reduced charge, also no charge for multiple analog sets.

Our COX has (24) @ $11.75 / Comcast has in some markets (20) @ $11 .... This - for some - is better than buying added Converters for each TV (after the first two w/ coupons) since most people WILL also need a replacement UHF antenna system ... old, indoor, set-top analog "V" rabbit ears ( no inner loop or bow tie ) will not work!

[Don Barnes]

Well, it appears I'm in good company. While having satellite tv, I have a couple of sets in spare rooms for guests (and football in the shop) and wanted to keep from having new 'boat anchors'. Based on all the early hype, I ordered my coupons as soon as I heard about them. Needless to say, by the time the coupons expired (May), there were no boxes available. Just another government initiative with good intentions but no results.

[everett whitney]

To: Jack - 08 Sept - " Coupons have expired ... help?"

Sorry - but - the Federal Coupons are a One Time item only! After that (90) days interval happens, regardless of why these might not have been used by that date, these become void / useless.

With over 7.5 million expired, unused coupons to date, there are many in your same position, sadly.

[Jack Staples]

Same problem as everyone else. Could someone help. Coupon has expired,stores did have stock.

[DreadingFEB17]

I ordered my coupons early on because I had heard that they were in limited supply. When I got them I then found out that they had a 90 day time frame in which to use them and so I needed to figure out what kind to buy and where to find a place with them in stock at a resonable price for my very limited budget.

While I was waiting my state of IOWA was hit by a 500 year flood and all my time and resources went to dealing with the damage.

During this time I had lost track of where my coupons were since I had to pack up everything in my house to save it from the flood and much later on while unpacking I did find them they had already expired.

Sucks that they tell you to hurry up and get them, then there is not enough product for the demand. None of the ones that I have found have been in the 40 dollar range, cheapest one I have found has been 50 dollars and several at 60-70 dollar ones, and they are still out of stock them.

[fran]

i ordered my coupons as i was told and they expired 6-26 but meijers, walmart and radio shack did not have then. i kept checking and was told only 10 or so came in at a time. the manager of meijers said they would honor the coupons even if out of date. the boxes were there to day and they wouldnt take the coupon as it was out of date. i did not ask for the goverment to mess with my television station i tryed to get the boxes the goverment did not plan well and they were not available so now i have 2 coupons no way to get the discount is it fair .

[Gilberto ocasio]

my coupon expired because every time I went to the local Walmart they were all sold out. The expiresd 7-24-2008, my number 5897320083314093 and 5837320083314101.

[Anna Laughlin]

My coupons expired because everytime I went to the local Wal-mart or Radio-shack they were all sold out. It also took a very long time for me to actually receive the coupons in the mail after I had ordered them.

[Ray Nelson]

I live in a rural area so do not get to town often. Every time I did, the local retailer had no stock. Early news reports said that boxes could not be purchased on line. Now that I find out that they can be purchased on some web sites my coupons have expired. I made a big mistake by ordering the coupons so early.
As with most things the government gets involved in this was very poorly implemented. I was not aware of the expiration of coupons until after I had requested them.

[everett whitney]

TO: Chris - 19 July - " Have a number of TVs going worthless in Feb ..."

Doesn't Have to be the case at all ...

A Home w/ many analog TV sets may still have analog thru the start of 2012 by simply getting basic cable ... after the first TV, all subsequent TVs are connected N/C .

Much less cost than numerous Converters at full price for each TV and far more channels as well.

[susie Koch]

To put it in a nutshell-I got the coupons-no boxes in stock to purchase-coupons expired.

[CHRIS]

Responsibility?? Know why the Gov has told stations to go DIGITAL?? Because they wanted to auction and have now SOLD out our band width to CELL PHONE companies!! NOT turned over to first responders, cops, firemen and garbage trucks like they say.
I have several perfectly good TV's and the government is responsible for making them completely useless at my expense.
I ordered the coupons early like press releases urged us. No boxes in stock yet. A month later they had some but were sold out. Month later I saw some boxes but didn't have my coupon cards--my fault. I can't spend a half day going store to store for a converter. Went back the next week; gone. The week after that; out of stock again and now my card has expired.
So, the Government has sold us out again

[Dean]

It is not difficult to figure out why several of the rated boxes have seen a price increase. It's been 3 to 4 months since the first coupons were issued. Buyers are in a use it or lose if mode with regard to their coupons. This is another reason putting a 3 month expiration on the coupons was a bad idea for consumers. It is unlikely prices will drop back down until 3 months after the last coupons are issued. I doubt CUs ratings had much effect on prices.

[Tony]

Ken Reese: It's not consumers fault that the better converter's didn't make it to market before the coupons expired.

I was waiting for the Echostar or Apex models which have better features and will be $40 and $50.

[Ken Reese]

It is funny how many consumers will not take responsibility.

The coupons are clearly marked as to when they expire and the website that they can request informs consumers as well. It is time for whiny consumers to wake up!