Press Releases 2008

Press Releases Concerning the Digital TV Transition and Public Safety Act

Press Release: Consumers Urged to Apply for Converter Box Coupons By Year-End: NTIA announced today that “over-the-air” television viewers who want to participate in the TV Converter Box Coupon Program should apply for coupons before the end of the year to minimize the chances of losing TV reception when full-power broadcasters end analog broadcasts on February 17, 2009. (Print version Acrobat PDF 25 KB)
Posted 09-30-2008

Press Release: Nursing Homes Residents and P.O. Box Households Now Eligible to Receive DTV Coupons: U.S. Secretary of Commerce Carlos M. Gutierrez announced today that residents of licensed nursing homes, intermediate care facilities, assisted living facilities and households that use a post office box for mail delivery will be eligible to request coupons from the TV Converter Box Coupon Program. The rule change takes effect 30 days after publication in the Federal Register.
Posted 09-16-2008

Press Release: Wilmington, N.C., on Track for Sept. 8 Digital Television Transition: As Wilmington prepares to be the first market to transition from analog to digital television on September 8, NTIA announced today that more than 36,000 Wilmington households have requested 67,000 coupons and redeemed 25,000 from the TV Converter Box Coupon Program.  (Print version: Acrobat PDF 26 Kb)
Posted 09-03-2008

Press Release: Commerce Secretary Urges Georgia Residents to Act Now to Prepare for Digital TV Transition: Marking six months until the nation switches from analog to digital, U.S. Commerce Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez joined Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue at an Atlanta Circuit City store to urge consumers to prepare for the digital television transition.
Posted 08-20-2008

Press Release: Participation By "Over-the-Air" Households in TV Converter Box Coupon Program On Track as Nation Marks Six Months Until DTV Transition Concludes: NTIA announced today that nearly 6.4 million "over-the-air" TV households, those that rely on an antenna for broadcast TV, have requested about 12 million coupons from the TV Converter Box Coupon Program.
Posted 08-18-2008

Press Release: Gutierrez Announces TV Converter Box Coupon Redemption Data: U.S. Commerce Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez released national coupon redemption data for the TV Converter Box Coupon Program and announced Minneapolis/St. Paul is among the top five markets to redeem coupons.
Posted 07-28-2008

Press Release: Commerce’s NTIA Announces More Than 150 Converters Certified; September Deadlines for Manufacturers Established: NTIA announced today that the TV Converter Box Coupon Program has certified more than 150 converter boxes. In addition, NTIA announced that it has released a Federal Register notice dealing with instructions and deadlines for current and potential Coupon Eligible Converter Box Manufacturers. (Printable version, Acrobat PDF 46 Kb.)
Posted 07-24-2008

Press Release: NTIA Lauds Cable Companies in Fight Against Child Pornography on the Internet: U.S. Commerce Acting Assistant Secretary Meredith Attwell Baker today applauded the announcement that the nation's cable operators, working through the National Cable and Telecommunications Association (NCTA), have reached an unprecedented agreement with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. (Printable version, Acrobat PDF 35 Kb)
Posted 07-18-2008

Press Release: Commerce's NTIA To Address Native American Leaders and To Seek Outreach Assistance in Indian Country: NTIA Program Officer Lynn Chadwick will address Native American leaders at the FCC Indian Telecommunication Initiative at the Indian Walk-in Center in Salt Lake City, Utah, on July 17, 2008. (Printable version, Acrobat PDF 36 Kb.)
Posted 07-14-2008

Press Release: Commerce’s NTIA Announces Consumer Alert About Microprose Converters (Acrobat PDF 34 Kb)
Posted 05-22-2008

NTIA Releases Names of Spectrum Sharing Innovation Test-Bed Participants
Posted 05-20-2008

Press Release: Gutierrez Announces One Million Coupons Used for TV Converter Box Coupon Program: U.S. Commerce Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez today announced that, nine months away from the digital television transition for all full-power broadcasters, one million coupons have been used as part of the NTIA TV Converter Box Coupon Program. (Acrobat PDF 59 Kb)
Posted 05-06-2008

Press Release: 300 Days Until Digital TV Transition: U.S. Commerce Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez today urged Americans to redeem TV converter box coupons within required 90-Day timeframe. (Acrobat PDF 62 Kb)
Posted 04-23-2008

Media Advisory: Commerce’s NTIA to Join Broadcast Industry Leaders in Providing Update on Digital Television Transition and the TV Converter Box Coupon Program at that National Association of Broadcasters' NAB Show 2008 at 2:00 PM (PDT) on Monday, April 14, 2008. (Printable Version Acrobat PDF 47 Kb)
Posted 04-10-2008

Press Release: Commerce Secretary Gutierrez Announces Ten Millionth Coupon Requested for TV Converter Box Program: Commerce Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez announced over 10 million coupons have been requested since the launch of the TV Converter Box Program on January 1, 2008.  The Commerce Department’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) is administering the TV Converter Box Coupon Program. (Acrobat PDF 59 Kb)
Posted 04-08-2008

Press Release: NTIA Works with Local Community Groups to Educate Consumers About the Benefits of the Digital TV Transition and Coupon Program: NTIA today kicked off Digital Television: Experience the Benefits, an effort with local organizations across the country to educate consumers about the benefits of the digital TV transition and the TV Converter Box Coupon Program. (Printable Version, Acrobat PDF 40 Kb)
Posted 03-31-2008

Press Release: NTIA Releases Federal Strategic Plan as Part of the President's Initiative on Spectrum Management Reform: NTIA today released a comprehensive report on the use of the nation’s airwaves used by the U.S. federal government, based on submissions of spectrum plans from 15 Federal agencies.  The report titled, The Federal Strategic Spectrum Plan is a key component of President Bush's 21st Century Spectrum Policy Initiative for improving the management of spectrum by federal agencies.
• Press Release
• Federal Strategic Spectrum Plan (Acrobat PDF 851 Kb)
• Spectrum Management Policy Reform Issues
Posted: 03-20-2008

Press Release: Secretary of Commerce Gutierrez Announces TV Converter Box Coupon Program on Track, Retailers Open for Business: $40 Coupons to be Mailed Out Starting Next Week, 9,700 Retailers Ready to Accept Coupons
• Sample TV Converter Box Coupon (Acrobat PDF 55 Kb)
Posted 02-15-2008

Press Release: One Year from 2009 Digital TV Transition, Commerce Secretary Gutierrez Highlights TV Converter Box Program at Retail Event : Commerce Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez today urged Americans to take action and prepare for the digital television transition before February 17, 2009.  More than 4.4 million coupons have been requested since the opening of the TV Converter Box Coupon Program on January 1, 2008.
• Press Release (Printable version - Acrobat PDF 63 Kb)
Posted 02-07-2008, Updated 02-12-2008

Press Release: Commerce’s NTIA Seeks Participants for Spectrum Sharing Innovation Test-Bed: NTIA announced today in a public notice that the agency will be soliciting participation in the Spectrum Sharing Innovation Test-Bed which will study the feasibility of increased spectrum sharing between federal and commercial users. Participants must notify NTIA of their interest by Feb. 29, 2008.
• Press Release (Printable version PDF 24 Kb)
• Federal Register: Notice of Solicitation of Participation (Adobe PDF 56 Kb)
Posted 02-05-2008

Press Release: Gutierrez Hails Dramatic U.S. Broadband Growth: NTIA today released the report, “Networked Nation: Broadband in America, 2007,” that highlights the dramatic growth of broadband in the United States.  The report shows that the Administration’s technology, regulatory and fiscal policies have stimulated innovation and competition, and encouraged investment in the U.S. broadband market contributing to significantly increased accessibility of broadband services.
• Press Release
• Networked Nation: Broadband in America 2007
• Networked Nation: Summary (Acrobat PDF 202 Kb)
Posted 01-31-2008

Press Release: Commerce’s NTIA Urges Federal Partners to Help Reach Targeted Communities about the DTV Transition: NTIA hosted a meeting with more than 15 other federal agencies to further coordinate efforts to educate the nation about the February 17, 2009, deadline to transition to digital television. “These partners are particularly important in reaching the communities most at risk for losing television broadcasts,” said NTIA Acting Administrator Meredith Baker.
• Press Release (Printable version - Acrobat PDF 36 Kb)
Posted 01-24-2008

Press Release: Commerce's NTIA Certifies More Than 250 Retailers and 19 Converter Box Models for TV Converter Box Coupon Program: The U. S. Department of Commerce's National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) announced today at the world's largest consumer technology tradeshow that more than 250 retailers, representing more than 15,000 outlets nationwide, are certified to participate in a program to aid in the transition to digital television. Also, 19 converter box models are eligible for purchase with the coupon and more are being tested as part of the certification process. To date, more than one million applicants have requested two million coupons.
• Press Release (Printable version - Acrobat PDF 40 Kb)
• En Espanol
Posted 01-07-2008

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