The administration of Argentinean President Cristina Fernández announced plans to have free digital TV to over 30 million of its citizen’s starting with the poorest. Individuals that are currently receiving any type of government assistance or on fixed incomes will be the first to receive converter boxes.
The government started testing the digital TV program by sending out the free converter boxes right when the World Cup started and plans to have the boxes in 1.2 million household by the end of the year. By 2019 and after a $1.6 billion investment they plan on having 75% of the country’s 40 million citizens accessing digital TV. President Fernández wants the country to leap into the modern times and is opting to providing free converter boxes to those least able to spend $180, the estimated cost of the converter boxes. There will also be free channels provided beside state TV with free programming for children and programming on science, technology and sports.
