US to go all digital for television broadcast in 2009

US to go all digital for television broadcast in 2009

In a move that could result in millions of television sets going obsolete in the country, the broadcasters have told the US Congress that they would stop delivering analog channels and convert everything to digital standards by 2009. Broadcasters have been resisting to accept this move considering this would have resulted in lost business.

Yet Edward Fritz, head of the National Association of Broadcasters said in a statement to the Senate Commerce Committee: “Broadcasters accept Congress will implement a 2009 date for the end of analog broadcasting”. The current law states that the broadcasters are bound to stop telecasting analog signals in markets with 85% of customers with digital TV sets by the end of 2008. However, that is something, which could take years to happen.

Reports say that only 5 million Americans have bought digital tuners to get their television accept digital broadcasts. And the US regulators want to get access to analog signals back to improve public safety radio communication. These wavelengths can also be used for wireless broadband spectrum. The government can make a lot of money by selling these spectrums for such applications.

The government is also considering subsidizing purchase of $50 converter boxes for the 15% of households that get their TV signals via antennas. These would let the old analog TV sets to receive digital broadcasts to fasten the approach.