The public may not yet be sweating the DTV transition, but other sure are. According to the Associated Press, Best Buy CEO Brad Anderson told those assembled at the CES show that he’s very nervous about being able to supply citizens in need of digital-to-analog converter boxes, and that the progress made by both manufacturers and those educating the public will bear close scrutiny. That said, he stated his belief that details of the transition have been well though out.
Meanwhile, the number of Americans applying to NTIA for converter box coupons is fast approaching 1.5 million, according to Bloomberg. The coupon applications have been available since the first of the year, even if the boxes themselves haven’t quite made it to store shelves yet.
Sen. Ted Stevens (R-AK) is taking matters into his own hands when considering the needs of his constituents. The widely scattered rural residents of his state pose a special education problem. Stevens is making the coupons available to Alaskans at all of his offices and via his official senate website. Stevens said he is working with retailers to make sure an adequate stock of the devices will be on hand in plenty of time for the 2/17/09 deadline.
