Gearing up for the digital revolution

At this time next year, the world will have gone through a digital revolution, making analog anything a thing of the past. In preparation for going all-digital, consumers are charged with putting together a digital environment that suits their own unique needs. Telecom analyst Carol Ingley felt the impending transition was so important that she started her own company, Media Mogul of the Home, and wrote a how-to book on the subject to be published in April. She shared with Associate News Editor Sarah Reedy why “digital” will be the buzzword of 2009.

On why Feb. 17, 2009, will be significant: The company I head up sees Feb. 17, 2009, as the day the digital revolution begins. That’s because on that date, video, data and voice — or the triple play — are now available in digits. Granted, there are still analog patches that need filling, but the point is the ability to mix and match digits, whatever the category, is what is groundbreaking. Obviously, copyright considerations have to be taken into account. The impact of this might not be so clear in the short term, but over the long haul, how we deal with information is going to change and change dramatically. All digital content speaks the same language, meaning the sky’s the limit in what you can create.

On leaving the dark ages: This is a completely arbitrary date to shift over-the-air TV transmission to all-digital. The date has been slipping for many years, and finally the decision was made to simply go ahead and make it happen. You might see Feb. 17, 2009, as a day that represents U.S. government institutions, such as the FCC and the legislative branches, working together to the benefit of the consumer. Having analog TV would keep the U.S. in the dark ages and not the information age. The government saw the handwriting on the wall.

On the role of telecom in making the transition: In a broader sense, everything is going all-digital, and that includes all of the services provided by telecom companies. … The world has shifted, and the power that companies have had historically is gone. That power has landed in the hands of the consumer.