President-elect Barack Obama’s transition team Thursday asked key members of Congress to consider delaying the nation’s switch to digital television scheduled for Feb. 17, saying there is “insufficient support” for the problems consumers will experience during the shut-off of analog signals.

In a letter sent to Capitol Hill on Thursday afternoon, the transition team said congressional action is needed. The action would be the “first step” toward helping consumers get ready for the transition to digital television. It also called funds provided to support the conversion “woefully inadequate.”

The request for a delay comes 41 days before the government-mandated switch to all-digital broadcasts, which requires the nation’s full-powered television stations to permanently shut off the traditional analog signals they have used for more than half a century.