2009 Press Releases

Press Release: Commerce Secretary Gary Locke Reminds Consumers to Apply for TV Converter Box Coupons Before July 31st Deadline
July 27, 2009

Press Release: NTIA Unveils Program to Help States Map Internet Infrastructure
(Print version Acrobat PDF 23 Kb)
July 2, 2009

White House Press Release: Vice President Biden Launches Initiative to Bring Broadband, Jobs to More Americans
July 1, 2009

Press Release: U.S. Senate Confirms Lawrence E. Strickling As Assistant Secretary for Communications and Information
(Print version Acrobat PDF 23 Kb)
June 26, 2009

Press Release: U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke Assures Americans that TV Converter Box Coupons are Still Available: U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke today assured Americans who are still not digital-television ready that converter box coupons are still available and that outreach will continue to those consumers who rely on free over-the-air broadcasting.
June 15, 2009

Press Release: The National Switch to Digital Television is Today: As the nation concludes its transition to digital television today, the Commerce Department's NTIA will continue providing consumer assistance after the June 12 transition. TV converter box coupons will be available to consumers who apply until July 31, while supplies last. In addition, the FCC is offering assistance over the phone and free in-home installation for consumers in most areas.
Key Phone Numbers for the Digital Television Transition:
• For questions about converter box installation, reception or other technical issues, or to schedule an in-home installation, call: 1-888-CALL-FCC (1-888-225-5322).
• To apply for TV converter box coupons (through July 31) visit www.dtv2009.gov or call: 1-888-DTV-2009 (1-888-388-2009).
June 12, 2009

Press Release: 1 Day Until DTV Transition: Focus at End of Technological Transition Is On People: On the eve of an historic technological transition to digital television, the focus for the two federal agencies managing the switch is on helping Americans who are at risk of losing their TV signals. (Print version Acrobat PDF 48 Kb)
June 11, 2009

Press Release: Secretary Locke Urges Unprepared Consumers to Ensure At Least One Television is DTV-Ready for June 12 Switch: U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke urged Americans who rely on over-the-air broadcasting-typically those who use older televisions with “rabbit ears” or a rooftop antenna-to take immediate action so that at least one television in their household continues working when the nationwide switch to digital television occurs one week from today.
June 5, 2009

Press Release: NTIA to Work with ICANN and VeriSign to Enhance the Security and Stability of the Internet’s Domain Name and Addressing System: NTIA and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) announced today that the two agencies are working with the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) and VeriSign on an initiative to enhance the security and stability of the Internet. The parties are working on an interim approach to deployment, by year’s end, of a security technology -- Domain Name System Security Extensions (DNSSEC) -- at the authoritative root zone (i.e., the address book) of the Internet. (Print version Acrobat PDF 26 Kb)
June 3, 2009

Press Release: Commerce Secretary Locke: “Time is Running Out” to Receive TV Converter Box Coupons Before June 12 Switch: U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke is urging Americans who need help getting ready for the national switch to digital television (DTV) to apply for a converter box coupon no later than Monday, June 1, in order to receive it before the June 12 transition.
May 30, 2009

Press Release: NTIA Announces that Online Child Safety Working Group Will Meet June 4 and Will Include State Attorneys General Representative : NTIA today announced that the first meeting of its newly formed Online Safety and Technology Working Group will be held on June 4, 2009, in Washington, D.C., originally scheduled for May 22, 2009. The Working Group will include a representative of the National Association of Attorneys General. The meeting will be held at the Federal Communications Commission, 445 12th Street SW, Washington, DC.
•Press Release: Print Version (Acrobat PDF 25 Kb)
•Federal Register (Acrobat PDF 46 Kb)
May 19, 2009

Press Release: NTIA Announces Availability of $44 Million in Grants to Assist Low-Power TV Stations with Upgrade to Digital Broadcasting: NTIA announced the application process for a $44 million grant program to assist low-power television and translator stations with upgrading from analog to digital broadcasting. (Print version Acrobat PDF 184 Kb)
May 13, 2009

Press Release: NTIA Announces Working Group to Advise on Industry Efforts to Promote a Safe Online Environment for Children: NTIA today announced the Online Safety and Technology Working Group -- a working group dedicated to keeping children safe on the Internet.  More than two dozen private sector and child and family advocacy leaders will help evaluate industry efforts to protect the privacy and safety of children and families online. (Print version Acrobat PDF 27 Kb)
April 28, 2009

Press Release: NTIA Seeks Public Comment Regarding Expiration of the Joint Project Agreement with ICANN: NTIA published a Notice of Inquiry (NOI) seeking public comment regarding the September 30, 2009, expiration date of its Joint Project Agreement (JPA) with the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). (Print version Acrobat PDF 23 Kb)
April 27, 2009

Press Release: Commerce’s TV Converter Box Coupon Program Now Accepting Requests to Replace Expired Coupons: NTIA has begun to accept replacement requests from eligible households whose coupons expired without being redeemed. Meanwhile, money allocated to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act has allowed NTIA to clear the digital converter box coupon waiting list.
(Print version PDF 173 Kb)
Dated March 24, 2009

Press Release: NTIA Begins to Clear TV Converter Box Coupon Request Waiting List: NTIA today announced that the agency has begun to clear its waiting list for requests to the TV Converter Box Coupon Program as a result of additional funds provided by Congress.
Print version (Acrobat PDF, 27 Kb)DTV_ClearsWaitList_090305.pdf
Updated March 5, 2009

Press Release: Commerce's NTIA Applauds Congress for Additional Funding to Eliminate Current TV Converter Box Coupon Waiting List
• Print version (Acrobat PDF, 27 Kb)
Dated February 19, 2009

Press Release: Commerce’s NTIA Welcomes Congressional Action on DTV Delay as Opportunity for More Americans to Prepare for the End of the Digital TV Transition
• Print version (Acrobat PDF, 27 Kb)
Dated February 5, 2009

Press Release: Commerce Department Announces New Deputy Assistant Secretary for Communications and Information To Assist in Leading Nation’s Switch to Digital Television
• Print version (Acrobat PDF, 32 Kb)
Dated February 4, 2009

Press Release: Commerce Department Announces Committee to Advise on Management of Nation’s Airwaves: Secretary of Commerce Carlos M. Gutierrez today announced the appointment of a diverse group of representatives from the private sector for a two-year term to the Commerce Spectrum Advisory Committee.
• Print version (Acrobat PDF, 32 Kb)
Dated January 16, 2009

Press Release: Commerce's NTIA Releases Statement Regarding the TV Converter Box Coupons: "We are working with Congress and other stakeholders so coupons can be processed and mailed without delay," said Meredith Attwell Baker, acting administrator of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration.
• Press Release, Print Version (Acrobat PDF, 28 Kb)
Posted January 8, 2009

Press Release: Commerce’s NTIA Announces New Coupon Applicants Will be Placed on Waiting List Due to High Demand for TV Converter Box Coupons: NTIA today announced that starting Sunday, January 4, consumers requesting coupons from the TV Converter Box Coupon Program are being placed on a waiting list.  Coupons will be mailed on a first-come-first-served basis, as funds from expired coupons become available, because the program has reached its $1.34 billion legal obligation limit, which consists of ordered and redeemed coupons.
• Press Release, Print Version (Acrobat PDF 27 Kb)
• TV Converter Box Coupon Program Statistics and Background
Posted January 5, 2009

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