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By Marc Silvestrini, Waterbury Republican-American, Conn.
Jul. 1--An Ohio company engaged in a national advertising campaign that promises free channels, services and TV converter boxes is taking advantage of the public's lack of knowledge about the upcoming switch to digital television signals, the Better Business Bureau said Monday.
A Better Business Bureau investigation found that the company, Universal TechTronics, which also operates under the name Heat Surge LLC, is selling 5-year warranties for $59 that must be purchased with their "free" digital converter box. When shipping and handling fees are added, the total cost of the converter boxes approaches $100, the bureau said.
The bureau said it believes these are the same converter boxes you can buy in electronic stores using a $40 coupon the federal government is providing to help consumers pay for the boxes. With the coupons, the total cost to consumers should be about $20 per box.
"Universal TechTronics ads confuse and mislead consumers," said Paulette Hotton, president of the Connecticut Better Business Bureau in Wallingford. "Unfortunately, people who do respond to the ads find they may not receive the services and products as advertised, and also end up paying more than they should have had they taken advantage of the government DTV coupon program."
Next Feb. 18, the nation's television stations will turn off their old-technology analog signals and begin broadcasting only digital signals.
The great majority of consumers -- anyone whose television is hooked up to a cable or satellite service or who owns a digital television set -- will not be affected. However, anyone with an older TV that receives its signal via antenna will need a converter box, which the government will help pay for.
Universal TechTronics is rated unsatisfactory by BBB of Canton, Ohio, because of an estimated 200 complaints in the past nine months, the bureau said.
Complaints involve slow delivery or non-receipt of products, difficulty reaching customer service representatives, delays in obtaining refunds after returning merchandise and product quality problems.
Consumers who need a converter box coupon can apply online at www.dtv2009.gov/FAQ.aspx., visit the National Association of Broadcasters site at www.DTVAnswers.com, or call the digital television hotline at 1-888-388-2009.
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