DTV Coupons to Run Out Next Month?

The government has been handing out $US40 DTV converter coupons left and right—so many, in fact, that they may reach their $1.34-billion budget cap before the transition happens February 17th.

Apparently all of those DTV ads are working, because right now the government is receiving 1.5 million requests for vouchers per week, which is charted to burn out government allocations within the first week of January. Once the $1.34 billion is spent, no more vouchers will be mailed out.

But these vouchers are not quite cash-in-hand. If unclaimed, cash from unspent vouchers can be reassigned to new vouchers (not confusing at all, right?). So there may be hope for those who miss the order window even if the government doesn’t appropriate more funds to the project. [Reuters via CEPro]