It is common that people act in the last weeks or days of the ASO date(s). States should make necessary
provisions to accommodate the peak demand around these date(s) and/or incentivise people for early purchasing
of the equipment (e.g. offer special discounts if equipment is purchased a few months earlier).
Timing of subsidy announcements is a key consideration and crucial for efficient spending of public money. The
early announcement of subsidies could well result in people deciding to wait for them. Benefits from delaying the
announcement of subsidies include:
• Cost savings as STB prices drop with time (better procurement terms)
• Subsidies are focused on people unable to afford devices (early adopters have already bought the receivers
themselves).
Figure 5-4 illustrates how timing of subsidy announcements can impact costs.