“Digital converters are available for analog TV owners, so their old sets can continue to work after analog broadcast/cable is shut down for good.”
Yes, but analog users continue to fight/complain about the switch. Comcast and others want to switch over because it is not cost effective to maintain two systems. Analog is also holding back true video on demand.
The FCC just auctioned off the analog TV frequencies, so those broadcasts must end on schedule next year. There's no going back now.
I haven't really noticed many complaints from the analog users yet, but they will be howling mad next year.