No Country for Old Cable Systems

NO COUNTRY FOR OLD SYSTEMS
[SOURCE: Multichannel News, AUTHOR: Linda Moss]
Rural cable operators aren't just bracing for the transition to all-digital signals from local broadcasters a year from now. They’re also worriedly trying to chart their companies’ futures. Without upgrades that will allow them to provide digital-TV service or high-definition channels, as satellite-TV competitors do, they could lose video customers. Under pressure, they may have to turn into a provider solely of Internet access and phone service -- to homes that buy their TV service from Dish Network or DirecTV. So tiny operators will be making some hard choices in the next few years. Some will sell. Some will shut down. Others will bite the bullet and spend money on upgrades. Some will likely refocus their businesses to concentrate on profitable non-video products.
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6534824.html?nid=4262