Can I get a coupon for a digital tv converter box?

January 4, 2009 12:30 PM

I applied for 2 of the digital converter box coupons the US government was handing out. I never received them. They have my info and know that I applied for the max and can't apply for more. I would like to have a coupon to subsidize a converter purchase. Am I out of luck?
posted by RikiTikiTavi to Shopping (11 answers total)

Recently the government announced they are running out of money for this program. But I can't imagine that they didn't give you a tracking number for your request, or that there's no toll-free number to call to check on the status of your request.
Go to https://www.dtv2009.gov/CheckStatus.aspx to check the status of your request.
I just went to dtv2009.gov and it said "apply by December 31, 2008" so I guess new requests are not being accepted.
posted by FergieBelle at 12:38 PM on January 4, 2009

Best answer: Reapply with a slightly altered name and address. I added an apartment number and changed one letter of my first name. I didn't realize these things had expiration dates...
posted by Gungho at 12:43 PM on January 4, 2009

Best answer: Same thing happened to my folks. My dad called several times and was told that "by law" (which may or may not have been bullshit), they weren't allowed to send him any more coupons, even though they never sent the first ones or they were lost in the mail.

The advice the operator gave him was to have someone else request them and send him one of the two, which I ended up doing.

I'd send you mine, but it's expired already.
posted by mudpuppie at 12:51 PM on January 4, 2009

Best answer: If you apply now, you'll get a message that "because program funding is not currently available, you will not receive coupons unless more funding becomes available. If program funding becomes available you should receive your coupons in the mail."
posted by dilettante at 1:11 PM on January 4, 2009

Consider calling your Representative in the House. They've been fielding calls all year, and during my time at the FCC last summer I saw a number of people get results this way. Federal agencies don't like attracting the ire of congresscritters, so phone call might be worth it.
posted by valkyryn at 1:21 PM on January 4, 2009

Call your local Rotary or Lions Club (I think.) I know that our local chapter of one of these is collecting unused ones to give to the elderly. But, they may have an extra for you.

(I'll update if I can confirm which club or find any more details.)
posted by Fuzzy Skinner at 2:52 PM on January 4, 2009

I have an extra (got the two, only one TV) - let me canvass my friends and if no one needs it, I'l send it to you.
posted by tristeza at 6:21 PM on January 4, 2009

Response by poster: Hey, thanks tristeza and everyone else. To clarify, I did apply, I can see my tracking number, but somehow I never got the coupons. I wouldn't have thought they're popular items to steal, but go figure.
posted by RikiTikiTavi at 9:41 PM on January 4, 2009

Response by poster: Regarding some other responses--if someone has an extra, fine, but I'm not about to take one from a stash for seniors (even if they are extra). Nor do I feel it's quite important enough to write my representative. I'll certainly use a coupon if I can, but I don't consider free TV equipment my right as an American.
posted by RikiTikiTavi at 9:45 PM on January 4, 2009

It ain't free regardless - my gov't coupon is for $40 OFF the price of one (and I think they're around $75 or something).
posted by tristeza at 11:51 AM on January 5, 2009

Update, if anyone's still reading: my coupons just came in the mail today, despite the above message I got when I requested them. There had been news article about efforts to get additional funding, but it hadn't been clear that those efforts were successful.
posted by dilettante at 11:47 AM on January 27, 2009