The families that receive social welfare can asked for a free digital television adapter or converter box. Applications can be filed in written form to the local social assistant.
The decision providing that the families that receive social welfare will be offered free analog-to-digital converters was adopted by the Government at the start of February.
In a response to an inquiry made by IPN News Agency, the Ministry of Economy and Infrastructure said the tender contest to purchase converters will be held after the 2018 state budget law is modified to earmark the necessary funds. The distribution method will be specified in the requirements of the tender contest and will be contained in the winning bid. If the necessary financial resources are allocated, the convertor boxes will be distributed to beneficiaries by this yearend.
The Ministry of Health, Labor and Social Protection, to a similar inquiry, responded that the chosen economic operator will distribute by a converter box to each family under signature, in accordance with the generalized lists, and will then present the lists with recipients ’signatures to the local social assistance divisions.
The Ministry noted that only the families that benefited from social support this February and have a functional TV set that does not receive the digital signal will receive digital television adapters.
It was earlier estimated that about 72,000 families will get free adapters. The updated calculations show 56,000 families are entitled to such devices.
Most of the models of converters at shops or online can be bought for 600 to 1,200 lei, depending on the producer and functional properties. Besides the converter, the persons also need a decimeter antenna to receive the digital TV signal.
