FCC Chooses IBM for $12 Million DTV Call Center Contract

January 23, 2009

By Mike Peters

Amid criticism from Congress - as well as from its own Commissioners - the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has announced it will enlist the aid of an outside source to shore up the FCC call centers that will be handling consumer calls for help when the DTV transition takes place.

IBM to Support FCC Call Centers When DTV Transition Takes Effect

According to the FCC announcement, IBM has been selected to provide call center support when the television airwaves switch from analog to digital. The transition is set for February 17, although legislation to delay that date to June 12 is awaiting government approval. The $12 million IBM contract will allow the FCC to handle up to two million agent-assisted calls during the week of the DTV transition, including up to 400,000 agent-assisted calls the day after the transition. It is estimated that there could be millions of calls initially from consumers whose television signals have been lost or negatively impacted by the change.

Analog TV Viewers Must Take Steps to Prepare for DTV Transition

Viewers who are most at risk of losing their TV signal are those who have older analog television sets and rely on set-top ("rabbit ears") or roof-top antennas for reception. The options available to those viewers are to purchase a newer digital television set, subscribe to a pay television provider (such as cable or satellite), or to purchase a converter box that will change the new digital signals to analog.

In September, as part of the Continuing Resolution for Fiscal Year 2009, Congress appropriated $20 million for the FCC to help fund its digital television outreach efforts. The funds for the IBM contract will come from that source.