Washington, D.C. (January 12, 2009) -- Verizon today urged Congress to keep the current Digital TV transition date despite calls from President-elect Barack Obama to push it back.

That's according to the Dow Jones news service.

On February 17, 2009, all full-powered local stations are scheduled to switch their analog signals to digital which means viewers will need a Digital TV, a digital converter box or a pay TV subscription to continuing watching television.

Verizon Communications Chairman Ivan Seidenberg today sent a letter to Congress contending a delay would further confuse consumers.

"Not only is it unclear that a delay will ensure a smoother transition, but it is likely a delay would undermine the DTV transition by causing significant disruption and consumer confusion," the executive stated, according to Dow Jones.

Verizon is the first major TV provider to publicly oppose Obama's call for a delay. AT&T's u-Verse service on Monday released a letter to congressional leaders calling for a 90-day delay in the transition, according to Multichannel News.

"From AT&T's perspective, a smooth transition from analog broadcast transmission to digital is in the public interest and will ultimately inure to the benefit of all Americans," AT&T senior executive vice president James Cicconi stated.

Sen. Jay Rockefeller, chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee, is working on draft legislation for a 90-day delay, Multichannel News writes, and the legislation could be passed as early as this week.

President-elect Obama, several key congressional lawmakers and two former FCC chairmen have called for a delay, noting that the federal government has run out of funds for converter box coupons. The delay proponents also say millions of consumers are still confused by the transition process and will likely lose their TV signals if the transition is not pushed back.

Obama's interjection into the controversy has generated a mixed response, however, with some technology officials and FCC Chairman Kevin Martin saying that the transition should not be delayed.

Most TV providers, such as DIRECTV and Comcast, have yet to publicly take a stand on the delay.

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