NCTA has sent letters up to Members of Congress to reiterate the cable industry's strong commitment to helping ensure the success of the DTV transition and to apprise them of several new cable industry initiatives that will help achieve this goal over the next six months.

NCTA President & CEO Kyle McSlarrow notes that the overlap between cable’s digital migration and the broadcasters’ DTV transition scheduled to occur on February 17, 2009, inescapably adds a layer of complexity and the potential for consumer confusion.  In order to address this issue, cable operators represented on the NCTA Board of Directors are introducing a “quiet period” from December 31, 2008 to March 1, 2009, during which most channel migration from analog to digital broadcast basic or expanded basic would stop.  They will also offer a promotional package of the broadcast basic tier to new customers starting December 31, 2008, a suggestion made by some of the leading broadcasters to facilitate the broadcaster DTV transition.  And, on the assumption that not all issues with the DTV transition will be resolved as of February 17, 2009, for at least three months thereafter they will, upon request, offer free equipment to analog cable households for at least a year, and will ensure that such households can receive channels moved from analog to digital broadcast basic or expanded basic tiers without incurring additional service charges.