Alternative to cable television?

Television broadcasting is going digital, albeit HD.

They will continue to provide SD for cable, or on broadcast TV.

If it is your cable provider that is going digital (it is them not its stations doing that, unlike broadcast, where it is the stations going digital,) or more accurately turning off analog channels requiring a box, there is nothing else you can switch to that does not require a box, unless you want to get an antenna and a digital capable TV set.

Digital cable, Satellite, IPTV, and FIOS all require a box.

Satellite.

And television broadcasting is switching to Digital, not specifically high definition.

You can even pick up analog signals on an antenna and use an analog->digital converter.

Satellite tv like Dish Network or Direct TV.

There are many options

1. DTH services

2. IPTV

DTH

there are companies like dish tv , tata star sky , big tv . airtel tv

which are good and cheap

then IPTV

this is using s broadband connection you can watch many channels in your tv and its very interactive which lots of options

we love our dish connection. Also have the receiver in our motor home and can get good tv where ever there is open sky.

Look Tv, a Dish

Yes there are. You could go retro and just have rabbit ears.