FCC asks for help to get digital TV converters installed

ByABC News
March 26, 2009, 10:59 PM

— -- Listen up, America: The Federal Communications Commission needs your help, and it's willing to pay up.

On Thursday, the FCC asked for bids from organizations interested in helping consumers with their basic, in-home converter box installations in anticipation of America's switch to digital TV on June 12.

A second solicitation for "expert help" defined by the FCC as technical help for people who've already installed their boxes but are still having problems will go out shortly.

A third request for groups to staff walk-in "help" centers, used to show consumers how to hook up their TV boxes and antennas is also in the works, the FCC says.

The FCC says it expects to have close to $90 million to cover the cost of all this work, though its DTV budget is being finalized.

The first round of bids, for in-home installation work, is due April 9. Bidding is open to private contractors, local community organizations and non-profits.

When the big switch happens, customers who have "free" TV analog TVs that use antennas to get signals must have a converter box that turns digital signals into analog. Cable and satellite TV customers, and antenna customers who have digital TVs, won't be affected.

A number of smaller markets have already switched to DTV, but the bulk of the USA won't flip until June 12.

In the markets that have already switched, the FCC says converter boxes have consistently been a problem. According to the FCC, box-related problems have ranged from the very basic forgetting to plug in the device to more complex issues such as "channel scanning." In some cases, problems can be a lot more involved, requiring consumers to get expert in-home assistance.

This isn't the first time the FCC has turned to the public for help.

In January, the FCC announced the selection of a dozen grass-roots groups, including AARP, for "DTV outreach." Those contracts, in the aggregate, cost about $8.4 million.