The Real Cost of Delaying Digital TV

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

) at the very least pick a better race car driver "-) djf

Begin forwarded message:

From: dewayne () warpspeed com (Dewayne Hendricks)
Date: January 9, 2009 10:25:45 AM EST
To: Dewayne-Net Technology List <xyzzy () warpspeed com>
Subject: [Dewayne-Net] The Real Cost of Delaying Digital TV

THE REAL COST OF DELAYING DIGITAL TV

Analysts say a prolonged delay to digital-only television broadcasting  
could also be bad news for the wireless service providers who plan to  
use the airwaves that will be freed up as a result of the change. It  
may also put a damper on plans by broadcasters to air popular  
programming once TV signals have gone digital and viewers have done  
away with outmoded TVs that only pick up analog signals. Mobile-phone  
service providers have a lot riding on the transition. Industry  
leaders including AT&T and Verizon Wireless have spent billions of  
dollars on the airwaves that will be freed up when the transition  
happens and intend to use that spectrum to provide advanced services,  
including Web surfing and mobile video. While the services aren't  
scheduled to go live immediately after the transition, an extended  
delay could prove problematic. "Every day they can't roll out the  
system affects when they can bring [new products] to market," says Tim  
Bajarin, president of industry researcher Creative Strategies. However  
long the delay, if it comes, Congress will have to pick a new  
changeover date that will cause the least disruption for viewers—for  
example, after the NCAA basketball tournament, which airs in March.  
The government also needs to do a better job educating consumers about  
the converter-box coupons and the changeover in general, analysts say.  
Many consumers are unaware of the boxes, and believe they need to buy  
a new TV. "There's still a lot of confusion," says Creative  
Strategies' Bajarin. "The real solution for this is for the government  
to be much more aggressive in getting the message out."

<http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/jan2009/tc2009018_712771.htm?campaign_id=rss_tech 
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