The Best Buy just down the block on 23rd Street and 6th Avenue only had a few antennas left by mid-afternoon. And by 5 p. The only stores that still had them in stock were in Queens. As for converter boxes, the representative said the store still had left. Justin Barber, a spokesman for Best Buy, said that as of Friday evening, Best Buy stores across the country were meeting demand for converter boxes. He couldn't say whether other areas around the country were experiencing antenna shortages.
But he said that the company had anticipated a spike in demand. It's difficult to say how widespread the potential antenna shortage has been. Mark Wigfield, a spokesman for the Federal Communications Commission, said he hadn't heard that antennas were in short supply. But he said he wasn't surprised that antennas are in high demand. But Wigfield added that people may not need to rush out and buy a new antenna. They may be able to use the existing antenna they had used to get analog TV signals.
But he said that whether the antenna is new or old, consumers should make sure it supports both UHF and VHF radio frequencies.
VHF antennas have traditionally been the rabbit-ear antennas that receive channels And UHF antennas have been in the shape of a circle or bow-tie.
These antennas are used to tune channels Now that broadcasters are only transmitting in digital, it's important to have an antenna that supports both VHF and UHF, since many digital signals are now being broadcast in UHF frequencies. In the case of Louise Coleman, the amplified antenna, helped her get all the standard TV channels offered in her area, as well as two more channels she couldn't get with analog TV. But retailers caution consumers that no antenna is a one-size fits all solution, something Richard Savelli, of Manhattan learned the hard way.
That gives consumers who ordered by the end of only two weeks to buy converters before the transition. However, many members of Congress are worried that the increased demand will lead to even greater delays in getting the coupons to consumers.
Edward J. Todd Sedmak, spokesman for the National Telecommunications and Information Administration NTIA , the agency within the Commerce Department that is running the coupon program, said that so far consumers have requested 44 million coupons, and they have redeemed nearly 18 million. Coupons can be ordered until March 31, or as long as supplies last. The NTIA said last week that it may need additional funds to ensure enough coupons are available in time for the transition. Unredeemed coupons are supposed to be redistributed to other households.
But as demand increases, some consumers could find themselves on a waiting list until funds from unredeemed coupons become available. That means some viewers who rely on antennas to receive TV signals may not get a coupon before the transition takes place.
Unless Congress offers more funding, one regulator warns consumers could come up empty handed due to a last-minute rush of coupon requests. From Reuters. Due to a last-minute rush of coupon requests, demand may exceed supply in the coming month, said the Department of Commerce official overseeing the subsidy program.
Ed Markey, a Massachusetts Democrat who asked for the update on the digital TV transition, said Congress may need to quickly pass additional funds in early January for the coupons. Congress ordered the switch to digital signals, effective February 17, , to free up public airwaves for other uses such as for police and fire departments.
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