IF YOU ARE A CABLE SUBSCRIBER, YOU SHOULD BE AWARE –
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The digital (DTV) transition applies only to full-power
TV broadcast stations. It refers to the switch from analog to digital
broadcast television.
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The DTV transition does not require cable companies to
switch their cable systems to digital.
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For voluntary business reasons, your cable company may
decide to move some cable channels from its analog tier onto a digital tier,
or may switch to all-digital service and stop providing any analog service.
This is not required by the government.
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As long as your cable company offers any analog
service, it must provide you with your local broadcast stations so you can
watch them without a cable set-top box.
The DTV transition has many benefits. It will free up frequencies for
police, fire, and emergency rescue communications, provide frequencies for
advanced wireless services, and allow TV broadcast stations to offer more
programming with better picture and sound quality.
If you have an analog television that receives free over-the-air
programming with a broadcast antenna (such as “rabbit ears” on your set or
an antenna on your roof), you will need to purchase a digital-to-analog
converter box in order to watch digital broadcast television. Each U.S.
household is eligible to receive two $40 coupons to be used toward the
purchase of two digital-to-analog converter boxes. (Please note that these
coupons will expire 90 days after mailing. For more information on
the Coupon Program, visit
www.dtv2009.gov, or call 1-888-388-2009 (voice) or
1-877-530-2634 (TTY).)
However, if you subscribe to cable service, the DTV transition should not
affect any TV sets that are connected to your cable service. The DTV
transition applies only to full-power broadcast television stations –
stations that use the public airwaves to transmit their programming for free
to viewers through a broadcast antenna. Cable companies are not required to
switch their privately-owned systems from analog service to digital service.
In fact, if your cable company offers any analog service, it is required to
provide you with your local broadcast stations in analog so that you can
watch them on an analog TV without a cable set-top box.
Some cable companies have decided to switch to digital service.
This is a
business decision made by the cable companies and is not required by the
federal government. Your cable company may decide to move certain cable
channels off of its analog service tier and onto a digital service tier, or
it may decide to switch to all-digital service at once, so that there is no
analog service tier for any subscribers. If your cable company decides to
move some or all of the channels it provides onto a digital service tier, it
may notify you that you need to get “digital cable” equipment to continue
receiving that cable service. This may include renting or purchasing a
digital cable set-top box or purchasing a digital cable ready TV equipped
with a “CableCARD” slot. This digital cable equipment is different from the
digital-to-analog converter boxes discussed above, and digital cable
equipment is not eligible for the $40 coupons. If you have a digital TV, you
may be able to view broadcast stations through your cable system without
additional equipment. You should ask your cable company about the equipment
options that may be available to you, including any options to purchase
equipment from a retailer if you do not wish to rent equipment from your
cable company.
For more information about the DTV transition, go to
www.dtv.gov or contact the FCC by
e-mailing dtvinfo@fcc.gov; calling
1-888-CALL-FCC (1-888-225-5322) voice or 1-888-TELL-FCC (1-888-835-5322)
TTY; faxing 1-866-418-0232; or writing to:
Federal Communications Commission Consumer
and Governmental Affairs Bureau Consumer Inquiries and Complaints Division 445
12th Street, SW Washington, DC 20554.
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Federal Communications Commission · Consumer
& Governmental Affairs Bureau · 445 12th St. S.W. ·
Washington, DC 20554 |
1-888-CALL-FCC (1-888-225-5322) ·
TTY: 1-888-TELL-FCC (1-888-835-5322) · Fax: 1-866-418-0232 · www.fcc.gov/cgb/
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