On Monday, the Senate passed a bill to move the nationwide switch to digital TV signals from February 17 to June 12, allowing consumers nearly four more months to purchase the new technology necessary for the transition.
The bill was proposed as worries mounted that poor, elderly and rural household viewers weren’t prepared for the congressionally mandated-switch-over, which requires those with older TV sets to buy a converter box or purchase a subscription to cable or satellite TV, reports Reuters.
Consumers who hold expired government coupons to offset the $40 cost of the converter box will also now be able to request new coupons. Around 2.5 million Americans are on a waiting list for the coupons, which ran out earlier this month.
