Is Cable becoming obsolete?

updated May 1, 2012

Looking through the feedback I received from my students in my digital media class. A question was raised that I decided to do some research on. Is cable becoming obsolete? TV’s are now becoming equipped with internet access making it easier to surf the web and connect to movies and TV shows.

U-Verse

Figure from At&t.com

U-Verse is a new programming package from At&t. It provides TV coverage and internet access. Now you might be thinking TV coverage? Is that not the same a being hooked up to cable? I thought the same thing. U-Verse is a system that allows you to retire cable. This service provides you with a DVR, multie view channel browsing and streaming for numerous HD channels.  It even gives you the opportunity to stream pictures and music directly to your TV for your own personal use. You can view all the opportunities with U-Verses at Wikipedia it offers a variety of uses if you’re interested in taking a further look into U-Verse.

Verizon’s Vision

Figure from googl images

Verizon is not looking to be out did by its competitors. It was announced on Feb. 6^th, in the wall street journal. That Verizon will be teaming up with Red Box a company where you can rent movies for two dollars at a drop box. Will be working together to give users an ability to stream a assortment of movies with the break of renting a free movie from a red box drop box each month. It is assumed that Verizon is also working with Comcast Crop. and Hollywood, which would supply Verizon a larger number of streaming rights.

Internet Connected TV’s

The improvement with Internet TV’s is it allows you to surf and stream the web with your television remote. Instead of having to sit on the on the floor with your HDMI cable hooked to your computer. You can relax on the couch doing everything you could do from your computer. Internet TV’s do not only provided you with the ability to use these new products above. On Squidoo it provides you with the top of the line TV’s you can purchase. Including a selection of options internet TV’s offer. It mentions how you can be connected to all of your social media sites, weather, and even stocks at the click of your remote.

With business like Verizon and At&t you have to think that cable one day will be obsolete. What do you think? If you could contact all of your friends without getting your computer do you even need regular cable?