You will be hearing more about IPTV over the next few years. Internet Protocol TV. It's the protocol for sending HDTV over the Internet. A BC company has announced a new technology to make this viable. The big problem was to compress transmission sizes down to a size that current technologies can handle, and they have done that with MPEG 4. Along with the introduction of a new box for TV's that can manage the technology. the signals can also be sent to conventional PC's, which is likely more significant. The provision of High DEfinition TV over the internet will shake up the industry considerably. Already a hot bed of competitive activity, the telephone companies, cable companies and other players will be adapting to this new reality. The cable companies already provide both TV and the Internet so it won't be too hard for them to embrace the internet. However, their competitive environment will be changed, since the telephone compaiies will now be able to provide TV content over their high speed connections. Also, the Internet providers and internet content providers will be interested.
It will be another industry shakeup. Technology Review: Emerging Technologies and their Impact