When digital-only broadcasts begin next February, nearly six million US citizens with digital receivers may still lose TV signals, according to a study by research firm Centris.

The research found gaps in broadcast signals that may leave an estimated 5.9 million TV sets unable to receive as many channels as they did before the changeover. To keep broadcast reception, many viewers may have to buy new outdoor antennas, the study found.

The Centris study predicts greater disruption of service than the Federal Communications Commission have acknowledged. The federal government estimates that 21 million American households have primary TV sets that receive only over-the-air signals. But it says most will continue to get a digital signal by means of a digital-to-analogue converter box, which costs about $50 to $70. Centris said it looked at a more detailed method for predicting the coverage pattern of TV signals than the government had used.

Source: Advanced-Television.com