"Unless you can place a coupon in the hands of all those folks and ensure there are enough boxes on shelves to meet demand in the next two-and-a-half weeks, we're looking at what becomes an unfunded mandate by the federal government," Kelsey said.

Some mobile operators lobbied against the bill, arguing that a delay would push back the availability of new mobile services. That's because they spent billions in a government auction for the right to use the spectrum currently employed by analog broadcasters, and they are working on building out new networks using the spectrum.

In a statement, Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Henry Waxman blamed Republicans for blocking the bill and said their vote would cause needless confusion for consumers. "I am working with the Obama administration and congressional leadership to explore all available options," he said.

The Consumer Electronics Association, which has argued against the delay, appears to believe the House will try again. "Congress will no doubt further deliberate the wisdom of extending the DTV transition date, and we urge full consideration of the implications for consumers of such delay," wrote Gary Shapiro, president and CEO of the CEA, in a statement. "A delay is costly, affects broadcasters and affects emergency responders."