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From: "Bob DAnjou" <[email protected]> Milton Brown, Office of the Chief Counsel, National Telecommunications
and Information Administration Background In June 2006, I had with a sales representative from a local cable provider come to my door soliciting a “new” digital cable program that comes with a trail converter box offering more premium channels and “on demand” programs. The trail converter box cost was just $1 more a month. During my conversation with the sales person we talked about the features being offered. He said that a converter box would be required for each television in the future but for now all analog televisions would receive the normal analog signals. Only the television with the trail converter box would be able to take advantage of the special digital features being offered today. We talked at length why a converter was required for each television. He said that’s what is being offered and the prices could change in a year or two. I was still unsure what was motivating all the changes and need for more converter boxes thus raising my costs in the future. That’s when he mentioned the FCC’s is requiring all cable and TV broadcasters to convert to a digital signal in the next couple of years. He didn’t have the specifics regarding the FCC requirements nor was it mentioned in any of the literature. I discovered later that the broadcasters are not required to advertise the FCC’s DTV program until the consumer transition program begins in 2008. I was also not aware of the NTIA converter coupon program until I researched the FCC web sites. Today, I enjoy basic cable services throughout the house. I pay ~$49 per month (including taxes) and I can use my analog television in any room that has a cable outlet. Today I have four televisions in use. In the future, I will be required to have a converter for each television with the price to be determined at a future date. The NTIA coupon program is offering each household two coupons to “purchase” a converter valued at $40 each starting January 1, 2008. Source: <http://www.ntia.doc.gov/dtvcoupon/faq.html>. If I want the four televisions I have in use today to be able to receive an analog signal I will have to purchase (possibly rent) two more converters to plus pay the difference for the two converters the NTIA coupon doesn’t cover. Today, I can have as many televisions as outlets in my house and pay only ~49 per month for basic cable services. I’m not required to have converter for each analog television. I believe other consumers like me would like to keep their costs the same in the future until we’re ready to purchase a digital TV. Personally, I think it’s a good idea the government is willing to offer a coupon program to help the consumer transition to the digital TV format. My concern is that other consumers are totally unaware of the FCC DTV transition program and the NTIA converter coupon program. I was! My concern is that other consumers could be forced into purchasing (or renting) a converter for each television that isn’t really necessary if managed (or regulated) a different way. Recommendation I would like to recommend a basic Digital-to-Analog converter that is between the street and the house. The concept would apply to non cable users who rely on antennas and UHF signals. The basic street side Digital-to-Analog converter would be limited to the basic channels such as local TV stations, public TV, educational TV, government channels and other similar basic programming channels. The basic street side Digital-to-Analog converter design would be a very generic to convert the digital signal signals back to the current analog format. It would not require a digital address, a special tuner or remote control. It would not convert expanded and/or premium channels to analog format or specialty programs. It would simply convert the basic channels from a digital signal back to analog the same way a modem does between a computer and a phone line. The conversion codes from Digital-to-Analog could be “burned” into the generic converter prior to distribution to align with the local cable and broadcasting companies programming requirements. The consumer would rely on the television’s standard analog TV tuner and not be required to purchase or rent a converter for each television. This should also decrease the government’s NTIA coupon cost by 50% per household for basic services because only one converter is needed between the street and the house. It should also keep the consumers basic monthly service costs low since the consumer is choosing not to purchase expanded or premium channels, on-demand programs, etc. In theory it would lower the cable companies cost because they have less equipment per household to service or maintain. When the consumer does replace their analog television with digital television, the basic street side Digital-to-Analog converter would have to be removed and/or possibly moved to an alternate location in the house closer to the analog TVs if a DTV is in use at the same time. When the consumer does replace all the analog TVs with digital TVs the basic street side Digital-to-Analog converter would be returned to the local cable or broadcasting provider and rely upon the DTV offerings from the cable and broadcasting companies. I hope this helps the consumer and the Analog-to-Digital transition program. My concern is the cable and broadcasting companies will be resistant to this type of recommendation because it means the consumer won’t be motivated to purchase a DTV or be willing take advantage of expanded and/or premium channels if a converter is required for each television. It does mean the consumer is not forced to purchase a converter for each television when a basic street side Digital-to-Analog converter is technical feasible to create. My concern is for the consumer and I would recommend the government regulate this proposal to keep the transitions for the consumer, the government and possibly the cable or broadcasting company as low as possible. Regards, Bob D’Anjou |