*sigh* It's a combination of greater control and greater revenues. I can imagine there are households with 3 or 4 TVs, with the digital boxes at $12/month, or even the Digital DVR boxes, which are more. In some cases, that can double their revenues.
It isn't necessary. There's no reason for it. No one is making the able companies turn off the analog signal. No one is making them use encrypted digital for everything. Back in the 80's many cable companies required the use of an addressable cable box, but all through the 90's and most of this decade, people have pushed away from that with cable-ready TVs. I know there are people out there who went with RCN specifically because they didn't need boxes. That was supposed to be the promise of Clear QAM - 'cable ready for the digital world'.
Further, because you need to rent the digital converter box to get the digital signal, but you get a digital to analog converter box free, they are punishing and penalizing the people who adopted the technology they're trying to switch to!
Further evidence (to me anyhow) that the standing duopolies (or, in many cases, regional monopolies) and deregulation (allowing companies like Comcast to own huge swaths of the market, or Verizon to not have to share its DSL lines any more) is fueling the complete disinterest in customer service.
no subject
It isn't necessary. There's no reason for it. No one is making the able companies turn off the analog signal. No one is making them use encrypted digital for everything. Back in the 80's many cable companies required the use of an addressable cable box, but all through the 90's and most of this decade, people have pushed away from that with cable-ready TVs. I know there are people out there who went with RCN specifically because they didn't need boxes. That was supposed to be the promise of Clear QAM - 'cable ready for the digital world'.
Further, because you need to rent the digital converter box to get the digital signal, but you get a digital to analog converter box free, they are punishing and penalizing the people who adopted the technology they're trying to switch to!
Further evidence (to me anyhow) that the standing duopolies (or, in many cases, regional monopolies) and deregulation (allowing companies like Comcast to own huge swaths of the market, or Verizon to not have to share its DSL lines any more) is fueling the complete disinterest in customer service.