While cable technology and cable TV service has been widespread since the 1970s, with the U.S. government-supported 2009 conversion of television delivery to the HDTV format, digital cable delivery will eventually become an integral format for telephony and broadband Internet broadband delivery systems as well.

Types of products, services, and technologies provided by and for the cable industry companies include:

1. Cable operator services
2. Cable operator equipment
3. Cable phone service equipment
4. Cable infrastructure contracting and design
5. Cable TV service set-top boxes
6. Cable Internet modems
7. DVR

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Find companies supplying technologies and services to the cable industry

It's best to explore a wide variety of supplier or service company websites to find the right information about global cable industry products and services.

I recommend: Similar to the traditional telephone Yellow Pages, Cable Yellow Pages offers extensive phone number contact information for cable industry suppliers and services throughout the U.S. National Cable & Telecommunications Association (NCTA), the principal cable television industry trade association, offers a recommended list of cable industry supplier websites.

Explore websites of companies supplying technologies and services to the TV cable industry

With HDTV becoming the television programming delivery standard, there is much information available for supporting technologies and services.

I recommend: NCTA also provides lists of the Top 25 Cable Operators and the Top 25 Cable Systems. Find out about these companies. For example, CableLabs has long been a cutting edge developer of digital delivery technologies for the cable television industry. Cisco, another longtime major developer of networking and information technologies, is also an early developer of Internet Protocol Television (IPTV), i.e. television digital delivery over an Internet network. Macrovision is a major developer of set-top box interactive program guides for cable television and DVR services. Corning Cable Systems is a leading provider of cable equipment and infrastructure technology. LANscape Network of Preferred Installers is their information service for cable equipment and network installers.

Visit websites of companies supplying technologies and services to the cable phone service industry

Internet phone service or VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) is one of the most rapidly advancing cable industry technologies.

I recommend: VoIP Review offers a long list of VoIP service providers along with reviews of individual cable companies. For more information about VoIP technology, IP Telephony provider ShoreTel offers its free "IP Telephony from A to Z" resource guide ebook. Avaya, a leading communications systems developer, is a forefront developer of IP telephony integration services. Quintum is a provider of switches and gateways for VoIP technologies.

Visit websites of cable companies supplying technologies to cable broadband Internet industry

Broadband Internet access is an emerging technology affecting a variety of digital delivery platforms as well as the global cable industry.

I recommend: BroadbandInfo.com offers a state-by-state broadband Internet cable provider locator. CNET Reviews offers their own broadband ISP finder. BuyerZone offers a Business Internet Access Providers price comparison service evaluating one Internet cable provider against others.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  If you are fascinated with information about the cable industry or if you're professionally associated with the cable industry, it's practical to stay on top of information pertaining to all things media convergence.