Cable and satellite fight for HDTV dominance

The fight for customers is on. The battle is between cable and satellite. The winner will definitely be the consumer.

With HDTV sales expected to be the largest ever this Christmas season, the competition to attract the new owners to HD programming has begun.

DirecTV and Echo Star have the advantage of providing service to most retailers. When a customer sees the picture in the store, they know it’s from these providers. This relationship alone might be enough to give DirecTV and Echo Star an edge.

Cable operators are not yet ready to give up the HD fight to the satellite providers. Cable has recently attracted record numbers of new subscribers by bundling communications services – internet, telephone, and television – into one package. Now some of those operators are going after the HD market by offering free HD services and extra features.

It is the lack of understanding by the consumer that is the biggest hurdle for both cable and satellite. Most HDTV owners are unaware that in order to get the same sharp picture they saw in the store, they have to subscribe to HD programming. DirecTV is working with retailers to try and explain its services to customers.

Education is the only way to limit the number of disappointed customers returning their sets after the Christmas rush – something retailers do not want to face. It is important for the battling programmers to come together and educate the consumer about the products that they offer.