By May, Comcast plans to take away analog channels 25 through 78 for "expanded basic" customers, unless they get a set-top box or an adapter.
That means popular channels like ESPN, ESPN2, CNN, TNT, TBS and Food Network will be gone.
The set-top boxes are free (up to three boxes; additional ones cost $6.95 a month), but acquiring and setting up the boxes will cost consumers time and aggravation.
By dumping more than 50 analog channels, Comcast should have plenty of bandwidth to add more HD channels. Cable providers need to do this to keep up with satellite companies and Verizon Communications, which has virtually unlimited bandwidth for channels.
FCC regulations require cable companies to make digital-analog converters available to their analog customers. (If you don't have a digital box on your TV, you are an analog customer.) For these companies, furnishing a free box is a small expense compared to the gain in profits from on-demand products and the customer-attracting HD offerings.
I like having more HD choices; however, I know adding a set-top box might frustrate some customers who don't want another piece of TV equipment, and who might need help installing it. The boxes also make taping with a VCR and watching a different show at the same time a challenge.
But there are always alternatives.
A representative of Verizon said FiOS is headed to our area, but no timetable has been set for its arrival. FiOS runs fiber-optic cable directly to consumers. The line has no lack of space for channels and has an impressive Internet speed of 35 megabits per second. In addition, FiOS customers receive Comcast SportsNet, so Phillies, Flyers and 76er fans can watch their teams.
Satellite providers don't yet have access to Comcast SportsNet, but they remain a viable alternative to cable. The base package for DirectTV's "choice" plan includes more than 150 channels.
The Dish Network's "America's Top 120" plan is good for older viewers who don't need all the bells and whistles, a rep said. Notable channels include local news, Lifetime, CNBC, CNN, Discovery, Disney, ESPN, ESPNews, Food Network, Fox News Channel, HGTV, Nickelodeon, TBS, TLC, USA, The Weather Channel and Travel Channel. This plan reminds me of Comcast's "expanded basic."
Dish Network's next step up is like the "digital starter" package I have with Comcast. It's called "America's Top 200." It includes all the channels in America's Top 120, but also has AMC, Animal Plant, Bravo, FX, Lifetime Movie Channel, MSNBC and NFL Network. It also includes Sirius music channels.
If you want to do a direct comparison of the TV services available to you, several Web sites, including MoveUtilities.com and WhiteFence.com, allow you to check out available packages based on your home address. The service comparisons include pricing.