You do this by buying, controlling and then linking use of sites like Hulu and its premium content to cable subscriptions.

Cable cutting (getting rid of your cable and watching shows online) is increasing. For consumers fed up with high cable bills, why not? Like the saying goes, “Why buy the cow if you can get the milk for free.” With that in mind, content companies want to make sure the milk isn’t so free. TechCrunch reports that Hulu may require its users to prove that they also have a cable or satellite subscription. So very soon, it’s possible you can’t watch free shows anymore but rather than have the convenience of watching the shows you already pay for online.

Assuming users really want to view that content, this will effectively push consumers back into controlled content funnels. Closed funnels where not only are they charged for membership to view content through forums like Hulu and Cable, but because these shows get added to their already high bandwidth rates of Netflix, Skype, work files, etc., users inch even closer to breaking their now capped broadband limits.  If they use too much bandwidth in watching that content, they can insure additional overage fees (I mean revenue for the cable providers).

It’s very likely the trap will be sprung. And for content providers and telecom companies, everybody wins.  Consumers are shoehorned back into a more limited content distribution format that produces more revenue. Cable subscription cancelations may likely slow. And piracy is reduced.

If you think about it, such a result would bring us back to the telecom model of cells phones of the 90s and early 2000s. Make calls. Only on our network. And only a limited amount according to your data plan.

Is that progress?