Each person clicking through becomes a potential customer for advertisers on the portal site. While HDTV has been under development for over a decade, it will probably be another 10 to 15 years before it finds wide consumer acceptance. The new aspect ratio brings the television format more in line with film. For example, old black and white sets are still able to receive colour broadcasts, just as mono sets can receive stereo broadcasts. However, they have been slow to implement HDTV because it promises little in return in terms of revenue, while the extra equipment and broadcasting costs are considerable.
International rivalry continues to prevent an agreement on HDTV standards.
For more information, check the HDTV Newsletter or Public TV and the transition to digital broadcasting . Telephony developed historically to carry interactive voice, then data traffic and has always been as important for business transactions as for residential applications. Until recent deregulation, telephony was always considered a natural monopoly and telephone services are financed by subscriber fees and toll charges. Technically, TV has moved closer to telephony with the spread of cable and the introduction of addressable descramblers. Especially in Canada, we are seeing not convergence so much as a crossing of traditional boundaries as the two industries go after each other's turf.