New Technology

[Jonathan Hutchins]

There's some question what the various cable TV carriers and satellite 
companies are going to do when analog broadcasting shuts down.  Since anybody 
watching satellite already has a digital receiver, with analog output if they 
have an analog TV, not much is likely to change for DishNet or DirecTV.

I would imagine that Time Warner won't change - that would mean spending money 
on new equipment, which they don't like to do.  Ditto Comcast.

Everest, on the other hand, is making a big, mysterious fuss about "next 
year", when they're going to "overhaul the system" or "change everything".  I 
think they'd be pretty dumb to ditch every customer who doesn't need to 
replace their analog TV yet, but they don't always do what I consider smart.

Of course, getting a straight answer out of any of these companies about their 
technology strategy over the next ten years wouldn't even be likely for a 
Congressional Commission, let alone local staff.  Us customers are just going 
to take what they give us.