As CNET notes, 2007 will likely go down as the year that Apple and Google completely shook up the telecom industry. After years and years of crap cellphones, bad contracts, and overall shady practices, the cellphone industry appeared more than willing to change – and in less than 6 months time – with the launch of Apple’s iPhone and there mere threat of Google in their industry.

I, for one, would love to see 2008 bring about similar changes to the cable television industry. For too long have a handful of operators completely controlled the airwaves making you buy hundreds if not thousands of channels you simply don’t need or want. I know that I pay about $90 a month for about 300 channels, when I watch maybe 8 of them – and I seriously don’t think I’ve ever watched more than 15 of them.

Well why don’t I downgrade you ask? Because I can’t. If I want the channels in HD (all 7 of them), I’m required to have “digital cable” and its 100+ completely BS channels. Sure I could ditch the DVR and its $5 a month fee – but that is the only thing that makes television at all watchable these days.

There has been talk for a long time that the FCC would start requiring cable operators to offer “a la carte” options where subscribers could pick only the channels they wanted. While this seems like a great idea, obviously the cable companies don’t want that – it means less profits – and it would effectively screw a lot of the fringe cable television channels that no one really watches but are now attached to packages.

But this should be ’survival of the fittest’ not ’survival of the most bloated’. If a television channel doesn’t have enough good content to pull in viewers, why have it on? Sure you make it so channels like PBS don’t die by maintaining their government funding, but everything else should be fair game.

And content aside for a second, one thing that annoys me the most about cable television is just how crappy cable box software is. It’s extremely ugly, very slow, bad UI, has a “warm-up time” despite always being on – there is simply nothing to like. I used to override this with TiVo which was nice (but very slow) – but since switching to the cable company’s DVR box, it’s a frustrating experience that verges on maddening. Could you imagine if Apple designed a cable box’s software? Some people call Front Row too simple, but I would take that any day of the week over what I currently have.

With the Hollywood writer’s strike still going on, more and more users are finding their way online to watch programming. This is great, but there needs to be something more in 2008 – some kind of bridge to the living room – that could really start making the cable companies sweat. Apple has the potential for such a device with the Apple TV, but they have thus far crippled it with regards to content. Microsoft’s Xbox 360 as well has some abilities, but very little in the way of television content. So short of hooking up your computer to your TV or watching content on your computer, options are still relatively limited.

And yet it could very well be an Apple or Google who transforms this industry as well. It’s now widely rumored that Apple has new things in store for the Apple TV in 2008 and of course rumors have started that Google could enter into partnerships with television producers. And at least in Japan there is another interesting entrant – Nintendo. Likewise if Microsoft or Sony can manage to get IPTV off the ground on their gaming consoles, things could get really interesting. We might start hearing the cable companies claim they are now “open”, just as has become en vogue for the cellular companies to do.

If any of these options force a move to “a la carte” programming from traditional cable television providers it will be a win for consumers. The day I can pay for the 8 channels I actually watch instead of the 300 I don’t and never will, I will be beyond happy. It took Apple and Google less then 6 months to change the mindset of one industry, lets hope they, along with others, can do the same in 2008 with the cable industry.