Reiter's Mobile TV Report

Understanding & Solutions predicts $14.3 billion from mobile TV in 2010

From MoCoNews.net I learned that the research firm of Understanding & Solutions predicts worldwide revenues in 2010 from mobile television and video on demand (VOD) will be approximately $18 billion, with mobile TV generating about $14.3 billion and VOD generating about $3.7 billion, according to an article in SiliconRepublic.

This represent an increase in revenues from 2006 of 800 percent.  Those figures do not include income from advertising, sponsorship and interactive services, says Alison Casey, business director of content and services at Understanding & Solutions, SiliconRepublic reports.

The article says, "Based on subscribers, the world’s most successful mobile TV implementation to date is TU Media/SK Telekom in South Korea, which has an estimated base exceeding three million at the end of 2006.  This is followed by 3 Italia, which had half a million subscribers at the end of last year."

Indications of what works

David Sidebottom, a consultant with Understanding & Solutions, says mobile TV content is booming and, as a result, there are indications of what will be successful. 

He says, "mobile TV is about favourites and performs well when it’s addressing local and national tastes.  'Dip in, dip out' and short-form are important mobile content attributes, and much mobile TV usage will be competing with mobile games, web content and podcasting."

The moronic tremendously popular "Big Brother" reality show is an example of "dip in, dip out" that include live mobile TV updates, the article says.

Not easy for Dr. Who

It's still tough to create a successful mobile TV business.  For example, the BBC produced 13 free one-minute "mobisodes" of the "Doctor Who" TV series and advertised the availability of the videos after each TV broadcast of the show.

But only 40,000 mobisodes were downloaded via cellular compared to 2.7 million viewed online.

Interactivity's important

Casey says "Moving forward, interactivity and community will be key factors in mobile TV uptake.  Talent contests, quizzes, music television, events and other genres will become increasingly popular –- and these formats are already appearing on Korean mobile TV services.

"The market activity to date reaffirms our view that mobile TV will be a significant business in coming years -– customer take-up in the major launch markets of South Korea and Italy have been remarkable, with consumers also showing willingness to pay incrementally for quality TV on mobile services."

Virgin Mobile U.K. sells fewer than 10,000 mobile TV phones

Despite an October 2006 kick-off advertising campaign estimated at 2.5 million pounds ($4.93 million), U.K. mobile virtual network operator Virgin Mobile has sold significantly fewer than 10,000 of its lone mobile TV-enabled phone, the Lobster 700TV (see left), according to sources contacted by The Guardian.  Virgin Mobile isn't disclosing numbers but says mobile TV is in its infancy and sales are hampered by the lack of additional handsets.

Virgin Mobile says new mobile TV phones will be available this year.  In addition, the company says it will offer new services, such as the ability to store programs on the phone to enable subscribers to watch when they aren't in the coverage area.

Other analysts say the reason for the poor sales is the lack of sufficient channels.  Virgin Mobile's service, based on Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB), offers five live, streaming channels:   BBC1, ITV1, Channel 4 and E4 and ITN news.

Not too expensive

Given the newness and "premium" aspect of mobile TV, Virgin Mobile isn't charging premium prices.  For most subscribers with a contract, the Lobster, manufactured by HTC, is free.

Prepaid customers pay 99 pounds ($195), a decrease from 199.99 pounds ($394).  That's not a huge amount of money, assuming you're paid in pounds and not dollars!  (I love traveling overseas, but the exchange rates are simply awful.)

The mobile TV programs are free for subscribers with contracts.  For prepaid subscribers it's free for three months and then five pounds per month ($9.90).

Hoping for DVB-H spectrum

Other U.K. cellular operators would like to use DVB-H and offer more channels, but there isn't any available spectrum for the service. 

The five licensed cellular operators, O2, Orange, T-Mobile, 3 and Vodafone, have established a consortium that hopes to obtain spectrum in 2008 as the result of a scheduled governmental review of spectrum allocations. 

But a U.K. mobile TV allocation is still a hope, not a certainty.

Chinese mobile TV debut difficult due to multiple potential standards

Is China's mobile television implementation a mess because of conflicting standards?  Yes, according to an item by Fons Tuinstrain the China Herald.

Tuinstrain covered a meeting of Mobile Monday Shanghai that featured a panel with five speakers discussing mobile TV.  He writes, "Despite the generally optimistic tone of the speakers, at the end of the evening I found only one way to describe the developments: what a disaster."

The problem is China is wrestling with offering mobile TV over regular cellular channels (that's when writers write "3G") as well as implementing a dedicated mobile TV network (such as Qualcomm-based MediaFLO or DVB-H systems).

Major problems

Here's what Tuistrain says, based on what he heard during the meeting:

"There are at least two major problems.  First, all major government departments and other stakeholders are involved in the regulatory process of mobile TV.

"The ministry of information industry (MII), the State Administration of radio, film and TV (SARFT), the traditional TV-stations, China Mobile. All these stakeholders hate each others guts, so it is very hard to get consensus about anything.

"Even an agreement on the standard that is going to be used does not exist.  They agreed to stop the international standards, but otherwise there is no agreement.

"Most likely a Chinese standard is going to be used, but since that is not sure, no hardware or applications can be developed.  When that agreement does not emerge very soon, the system will miss its political deadline: the 2008 Olympic Games...

"3G is not doing much better at this stage in terms of getting the official process rolling.  Licensing providers might have been postponed till 2008, although big scale experiments are on its way and the Chinese standard of TD-SCDMA seems a sure winner.

"More important, the 3G track has been able to avoid the second pitfall that is now hampering Mobile TV.  It is seen as a pure telecom project and will avoid any link with terms like 'broadcasting'.

The main purpose:  keep the SARFT-like forces out.  The telecom companies have only one interest:  recoup their investment as fast as possible."

What will be broadcast?

Another thorny issue is what content will be allowed for mobile TV in China.

Tuinstrain wonders whether Chinese mobile TV subscribers will be able to watch the type of programs they want or whether Chinese governmental bodies, such as SARFT, will censor programs.

Given the way China censors Internet sites, I don't think there's any point in wondering.  Chinese mobile TV will be censored under the watchful eyes of the government just as the Internet is censored for "politically incorrect" sites.

GoTV sponsors Century City Cell Phone Fest for short cellular videos

Mobile TV content developer/aggregator GoTV is sponsoring the Century City Cell Phone Fest 2007 for cellular phone videos running 15 seconds to three minutes, according to the press release.

The Grand Prize is a trip to the Sundance Film Festival.  The deadline for submissions is August 17, 2007.

GoTV's sponsorship agreement entitles it to broadcast the top 30 submissions on its mobile TV Superchannel for 60 days, the release says.

Telephia says top five mobile TV shows "The Daily Show," "Lost," CNN, ESPN, ABC News in 2Q06

Comedy Central's "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart," ABC's "Lost," CNN, ESPN and ABC News were the top five mobile television programs during the second quarter of 2006, says the wireless research firm Telephia, according to an article in TVWeek.com.

Levi Shapiro, director of audience metrics at Telephia,  spoke during the NATPE Mobile ++ in Las Vegas.

Beating Weather Channel, Fox News

The article reports, "Mr. Stewart's show also beat out content from television networks that are more widely available to mobile customers, including the Weather Channel, which reaches 88 percent of mobile video subscribers.

"The entertainment content also proved more popular than material from Fox News, which is available to 85 percent of users, and ABC News, which 84 percent of mobile consumers can access, Mr. Shapiro said.

"Comedy Central has 40 percent penetration in mobile video, so demand is all the more impressive.  Mobile downloads and the dollars that come with them will increase as more customers get mobile video, Mr. Shapiro noted."

Could Apple's iPhone stimulate the demand for mobile TV?

Could the Apple iPhone stimulate demand for mobile television?  Maybe, but not likely this year.

One of the major problems with mobile TV is the crummy LCDs on most cellular phones, especially in the United States.  The screens are typically small and low resolution, and that doesn't make for a fun viewing experience.

The iPhone's 3.5-inch (diagonal) screen at 320 x 480 with 160 pixels per inch would go a long way towards enhancing viewing.  The size of the screen is a huge plus for mobile TV.

The iPhone's ability to automatically switch from portrait to landscape mode also is an advantage.  In addition, the ability to display movies in either full-screen or letter box mode, as Apple's CEO Steve Jobs demonstrated with "Pirates of the Caribbean" during his Macworld presentation (see below) offers users viewing options.

iTunes content powerhouse

Apple is promoting the iPhone as a great device for watching videos, television shows (not mobile TV, though) and movies uploaded from iTunes (see below).  Indeed, it's difficult to underestimate the value of iTunes as an amazing "content pusher" that will be Apple's powerful multimedia engine feeding the iPhone.

Granted, not everyone likes iTunes for a variety of reasons, ranging from the design to Apple's digital rights management.  But no cellular operator in the United States comes anywhere close to offering a content portal that compares to iTunes for the amount and variety of content combined with ease of use.

Apple also does a great job of marketing and people love Apple products.  How many people love their cellular operator?

So, the combination of the iPhone hardware and features, iTunes and Apple's marketing produce a powerful team.

EDGE = Awful mobile TV

That's the good news.  There is also a lot of bad news.

One big disadvantage is the first version of iPhone works only with Cingular's GSM EDGE network, not the cellular operator's faster HSDPA (High Speed Downlink Packet Access) system.  If you've ever watched mobile TV on a slow network, such as Sprint's CDMA 1xRTT system rather than its faster 1xEV-DO, you know that it's like watching a slide show with audio.

Apple is slated to offer the iPhone in Europe by the end of this year and I assume it will incorporate HSDPA.  HSDPA is so prevalent in Europe, and Europeans subscriber are so much more used to advanced applications, that Apple would be committing sales suicide if it offered an EDGE-only phone.

I assume the iPhone will be available with HSDPA in the U.S. in 2008.  I guess there's also a possibility that Apple would decide to offer HSDPA when it launches in the U.S. this June, but it's highly unlikely.

Cingular's no leader

Apple is counting on iPhone's WiFi capabilities to offer higher speed data rather than EDGE for the short term.  Marketing mobile TV is tough enough without requiring subscribers find a WiFi hotspot!

Another problem is Cingular isn't a leader in mobile TV.  It uses MobiTV's content -- and that content is pretty good.  But Sprint's mobile TV offering, that also uses MobiTV for much (but not all) of its programs, is superior to Cingular's.

Of course, Cingular certainly could enhance its mobile TV offerings if it wants.

Also, Verizon Wireless will set a new bar for mobile TV when it introduces its V CAST Mobile TV streaming service, based on Qualcomm's MediaFLO system, this quarter, as I previously wrote.  Verizon will offer two phones when it launches its new service and both phones, the LV (see left) and Samsung can be used in landscape mode.

Verizon's older, non-live, archived-clips-only V CAST service (see below) works on the faster 1xEV-DO cellular system.

In conclusion

So, could the iPhone stimulate the use of mobile TV?  Yes, but certainly not in the near term.  Unless Apple surprises us, the leaders in mobile TV in the U.S. probably will remain Sprint and Verizon, and they won't be able to offer the iPhone since it's GSM-only.

In Europe, DVB-H is the dominant (but not the only) mobile TV platform.  Will Apple emphasize mobile TV when it's available there late this year?  Very unlikely.

Sparking a large-screen trend?

The iPhone could spark Americans to accept much larger cellular phones.  Unlike in a few other countries, most notably South Korea, Americans go for small, lightweight phones.

Certainly we're seeing more U.S. subscribers purchasing phones with larger LCDs, such as the Treo, BlackBerry, Q and PDA-type phones with the Windows Mobile operating system.  But small and light dominates the market.

If Americans flock to the iPhone and accept the advantages of a large screen over the smaller phones, this could indeed change the design of cellular phones for the U.S.  Obviously, a larger screen makes viewing all sorts of applications -- e-mail, Web pages, etc. -- a more pleasurable experience.

And, the iPhone certainly isn't the only handset that will offer large, high resolution screens.  Take a look at what Hitachi Displays is producing:  An 800 x 480 LCD (see left) that is somewhat similar to the quality of a computer LCD.  The typical resolution of many cellular phones is QVGA (240 x 320). 

Hitachi Displays' new LCD offers five times the number of pixels and has a contrast ratio of 400:1.

iPhone's camera phone

By the way, if you're interested in an analysis of the iPhone's camera capabilities, check out my main article in my camera phone weblog.

Blogging Verizon Wireless' MediaFLO mobile TV announcement at CES

[I'm blogging about the Verizon mobile TV announcement at CES by listening to the webcast.  I previously wrote about this, including an article based on an analysts' briefing from Verizon.]

Denny Strigl, president and COO of Verizon Communications:   "We're going to turn up the bandwidth on the whole television experience."  (Verizon Wireless' press release about the press conference.)

Verizon has a two-fold strategy.  Build great content delivery systems and offer great content.  "That's been a winning combination since the beginning of the printing press."

Strigl is discussing how great Verizon is in developing broadband services in general.  Verizon is making two announcements during the press conference:  V CAST Mobile TV as well as its fiber optic FiOS service's television and interactive capabilities.

First of its kind mobile TV

John Stratton, executive vice president and chief marketing officer of Verizon Communications just showed a video now about the Verizon MediaFLO service.  Really boring video that reveals nothing.  A waste of time.  At least it was brief.

Verizon will launch V CAST Mobile TV "later on" in the first quarter of 2007.  No hard launch date discussed.

"The first real mobile TV service in the United States."  Nothing like it in the U.S.  Strigl certainly is right about that.  V CAST Mobile TV is the first broadcast service that doesn't use existing 3G channels.

TV quality

Verizon says the quality as good a regular TV and will be provided 24 hours a day.  Broadcast quality TV without degrading voice service.  No slow connections, virtually instantaneous channel changes, no buffering, he says.

MTV Networks, NBC News, CBS, Fox are content providers.  (I'll be writing much more about this.  I received four press releases about the content.  See below.)

Mobile TV handsets

Two handsets at launch, as I wrote in a previous article:  Samsung Mobi (?) -- Samsung SCH-u620 (see left)-- and LV VX9400.  Both have a dedicated mobile TV key and landscape mode screens.

According to Verizon Wireless' press release, both handsets will incorporate 1.3 megapixel camera phones.  Too bad.  If these phone are supposed to be such a big deal, why doesn't Verizon offer cameras with at least a two megapixel resolution?

Cost could be a factor, obviously.

Engadget Mobile's impressions

Is this the LV 9400?  Yes it is.  Here's Engadget Mobile's observations (and their photo; see left) about the handset:

"It may not be Chocolate -- but in terms of style, the VX9400 isn't very far off.  From the pictures, we'd thought that this was going to be one heavy, wide, unusable disaster of a handset, but we were dead wrong on every count.

"The phone can be used against the ear whether open or closed (obviously crucial for easy access to the keypad and quick taking of a call while watching TV), the pivot is smooth, and the glossy black top contrasts nicely with the silver bottom.

"The MediaFLO-based VCAST TV service, announced during the press conference today, is fully functional on the phone; we caught wind that Vegas and Seattle are fully live (among other markets) so it seems reasonable for Verizon to meet its goal of launching before the quarter's out.

"The video was smooth and quick to load, and the interactive guide (which loads via the FLO link) seemed well laid out."

[Engadget provides the best CES coverage I've seen.  The reporters knock themselves out doing a terrific job.]

Web programming guide

Verizon will provide a comprehensive programming guide and parental controls for TV, movies and music on the Web.  This is something that is sorely lacking in the mobile TV space.

Here's what Verizon Wireless' press release says, "The program guide includes date, time and program information, and also allows customers to view programming details up to 48 hours ahead of the scheduled broadcast.

"A dedicated V CAST Mobile TV Web site will feature a customized program listing grid, a search feature to discover programs by keywords, content information and previews, and editorial and community features, as well as service information and support."

The cellular operators have done a terrible (i.e., non-existent) job of offering a complete guide to their mobile TV programs as well as offering detailed video previews of the programs.   (I've written previously that I think TV Guide needs to get into the mobile TV business and offer a U.S.-based program guide with reviews, articles, etc.)

Perhaps Verizon's announcement will spark Sprint and Cingular to dramatically improve the way people may learn in detail what's available.  This is a pet peeve of mine.

No information about "pricing, programming and markets" until Verizon gets closer to launch.

Bob Ingalls, executive vice president and chief marketing officer of Verizon Telecom is discussing FiOS TV, but I'm not going to write about that because this is the "Mobile TV Report" <g>.

Questions and Answers

An analyst asks about pricing.  Verizon says there will be a separate fee for V CAST Mobile TV.  Strigl "whatever Verizon offers will make affordable."  No more details about pricing.

What's going to happen, I believe, is Verizon will offer two services, the current on-demand V CAST and the MediaFLO quasi-/semi-live broadcasting streaming service.  Subscribers will pay a separate fee for V CAST and for V CAST Mobile TV, although Verizon is striving to integrate the services as much as possible from an ease-of-use standpoint.

Ideally, the integration should be seamless so subscribers may switch easily from one service to the other.

A reporter from The Financial Times asks what makes Verizon thinks there will be a market.  Strigl says people who think not enough subscribers will pay are wrong.  He understands the mobile TV and FiOS are something the public has to "grow into" (I think that's the correct phrase).

This, of course, is a key question.  Many analysts believe mobile TV is doomed, just as many analysts believed camera phones were a waste.  A few still aren't convinced camera phones will thrive.  All of them are wrong!

Types of programs

Technology journalist Larry Magid, representing CBS, asks about live and archived programs.  Verizon says MediaFLO is "long form content."  The actual programs. 

Verizon is programming "the best of TV" on mobile TV, but not programs are not necessarily what's on regular TV at the time they are on mobile TV.  It's based on what people want to watch at certain times, despite what's on regular TV.

My assumption is that, for example, in the middle of the day when the brain-dead TV watchers are staring numbly at game shows and soap operas, V CAST Mobile TV will transmit news, sports, etc.  The MediaFLO shows might be the same "regular" programs offered on broadcast/cable TV, but not necessarily at the times they are offered on regular TV channels.

Local versus national programming

Another question about local programming.  Verizon says the system has the ability to have local programming.  I wrote previously about there being an East Coast and a West Coast feed.

"Local" programming might be something of a misnomer.  Since MediaFLO is a broadcast service, I doubt subscribers will be able to watch market-by-market programs.

Sprint has an extra-cost mobile TV channel, "My Local TV," that offers individual news stories from a few dozen local television stations.  I like that.  When you're mobile it's a good way to catch up on what's happening in your hometown (assuming you live in a major market) as well as checking out cities you like.

What Strigl watches

Another question about devices and prices.  Verizon says it will offer "an array" of handsets from other manufacturers in the third and fourth quarter.

Strigl was asked what he personally watches on mobile TV.  He uses it "to get caught up" during the day.  He didn't provide many details of what he watched.  He mentioned "stocks."

Strigl says he watches, at most, 15 to 20 minutes a day.

Mobile TV advertising

Advertising Age asks about advertising on the channel.  Strigl says Verizon has been "very concerned" about advertising on cellular.  However, people are somewhat used to advertising on regular TV. 

So Verizon will go "slow at first" and see what people want and will accept.

Advertising over cellular is a very hot topic in the wireless industry.  I have written before that subscribers will accept advertising on mobile TV -- because they are used to commercials on traditional TV -- if the ads aren't too long in relation to the program.

What's appropriate advertising?

For example, a 30-second commercial as part of a 60-second news video is unacceptable.  Frankly, 30 seconds is long by any measure for mobile TV.

However, live programs on broadcast/cable TV are infected with commercials, so if you're watching a live program on mobile TV, such as Fox News on Sprint, you'll see a lot of commercials.

I just hope mobile TV -- that's already infested with the crummy programs of traditional TV (celebrity gossip, reality shows and more) -- doesn't become infested with commercials.  It certainly will turn off users in droves.

Time-shifting mobile programs

PC Magazine asks about storing or time-shifting programs on the handsets.  The reporter says people might want to watch TV in the subway or inside a building where the signal isn't good.  Verizon says MediaFLO is strictly a broadcast service.

Verizon says it's looking at ways to store programs, perhaps transferring them from a PC or memory card.

My view is don't hold your breath.  V CAST Mobile TV isn't about storage and time-shifting.  It's about streaming. 

If you want time-shifting, record a program on your computer, convert it to a format compatible with your handset and store it on your phone.

Battery life

Question about battery life.  Verizon says battery life is "remarkably good" that's comparable to talk time.  In the article I previously wrote, based on Friday's briefing by Verizon, the battery life was discussed in terms about about three hours for watching mobile TV.

No doubt about it:  Watching (and also recording) videos can drain the battery fast. 

Indeed, I've been told Research in Motion (RIM) doesn't offer video recording capability for its nicely-done multimedia phone, the Pearl, because the company is concerned about battery life and users not being able to get critical e-mail -- a major reason for using the Pearl -- because the battery dies.

I think RIM is wrong.  If it's selling a multimedia phone, it needs video recording capabilities, just as it offers a 1.3 megapixel camera (that takes pretty good photos for a camera phone).  But that's another subject.

That's it for questions.  The press conference ended just before 5:00 p.m. PST.  Verizon is demonstrating its service afterwards.

MediaFLO licenses content

As the Verizon press conference began I received four press releases from Qualcomm.  Qualcomm's MediaFLO USA has signed four multi-year licensing agreements with content companies:  Fox, NBC, Viacom/MTV and CBS.

Programs from these companies will be available on V CAST Mobile TV.

Fox

MediaFLO's agreement with Fox Mobile Entertainment and Fox Interactive Media will provide for programs from Twentieth Century Fox Television, Fox News Channel and FOX Sports Interactive.

The release mentions prime time and classic TV programs:  "24," "Prison Break," "FOX Report with Shepard Smith" and "Your World with Neil Cavuto."

FOX Sports on MSN, a unit of Fox Interactive Media, also will provide several hours per day of of programs to both MediaFLO and FOXSports.com.

NBC Universal

MediaFLO's contract with NBC Universal calls for live, full-length programs such as "Today," "Nightly News with Brian Williams" and "Meet the Press," as well as select programming from both MSNBC and CNBC. 

The release says, "On the entertainment front, the channel will offer a select number of acclaimed NBC Universal primetime, daytime and cable shows, as well as access to the best late-night entertainment laughs around, including 'The Tonight Show with Jay Leno' and 'Late Night with Conan O'Brien.'"

Viacom/MTV

Viacom's agreement involves MTV Networks that provides MTV, Nickelodeon and Comedy Central.  Programs include the reality drama "The Real World," Nickelodeon's "SpongeBob SquarePants" and Comedy Central's "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart."

CBS

CBS' agreement with MediaFLO will include such programs as:

*  Prime time:  "CSI," "CSI: Miami," "CSI: NY," "NCIS," "Numb3rs," "Jericho," "Survivor" and "Big Brother, "Late Show with David Letterman" and "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson," "CBS Evening News with Katie Couric," "The Early Show," "CBS News Sunday Morning," "60 Minutes" and "48 Hours Mystery."

*  CBS Sports and CSTV content such as college football games.

*  So-called "classic programming" such as "Star Trek," "Brady Bunch," "I Love Lucy," "Twin Peaks," "MacGyver," "Gunsmoke" and "Have Gun, Will Travel."

Verizon announces MediaFLO's V CAST Mobile TV at CES

During a press conference right now (1:00 p.m. PST) at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Verizon Wireless is announcing the development -- but not the commercial launch -- of V CAST Mobile TV that's based on Qualcomm's MediaFLO mobile television system, as I wrote on Friday morning.

[I'm writing this second article on Friday night, shortly after on a briefing from Verizon Wireless to analysts, for publication (according to the embargo) at the start of the press conference.  I'll have more details later right here.]

V CAST Mobile TV will be launched some time in the first quarter of this year.  Programs will be available from CBS, NBC News, NBC Entertainment, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, MTV and Fox, according to the briefing.

The shows will include advertising.  The programs will be available 24 hours a day and there will be an East Coast and West Coast feed.

V CAST Mobile TV's streaming service will be integrated with Verizon's current V CAST video on demand service so subscribers to both offerings will be able to switch among them.

LG, Samsung handsets

Verizon will offer two handsets:  A "slider" phone from Samsung with a QVGA screen and an LG phone with a swivel screen (as noted in the article on Friday morning).  The phones will include a dedicated Mobile TV key.

The battery life for viewing V CAST Mobile TV is about three hours.

The handsets will include a detailed program guide for reading what shows are running currently and in the future and the ability to click on the guide to view the specific show to watch. 

Verizon Wireless will offer a section on its Web site that includes previews of shows, program guides and reviews.  The Web site also will include the ability to set parental controls.

Another reminder from Sprint about its mobile TV efforts

Sprint has issued a second press release today promoting its efforts in mobile television in anticipation of Verizon Wireless' announcement about its Qualcomm-based MediaFLO mobile TV network this afternoon at the Consumer Electronics Show.

Sprint says, "...[P]lease note that Sprint has conducted a limited trial of Qualcomm’s MediaFLO technology that began in 2006.  The trial service has been branded as VUE. 

"No other details have been made available, but the trial is expected to conclude by the end of January 2007.

"Sprint has no immediate plans to deploy the MediaFLO service, but we will continue to evaluate it as a potential service for the future. "

Sprint's first press release highlighted the company's past mobile TV efforts and briefly discussed the future, as I wrote early this morning.

Sprint highlights mobile TV accomplishments as Verizon readies MediaFLO

Sprint has published a press release that proclaims its accomplishments in the mobile television arena as Verizon Wireless gets ready today at 1:00 p.m. (PST) at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) to discuss details of its Qualcomm-based MediaFLO mobile TV system.

I stayed up all night reading a novel and it's time to go to bed. But before I conk out for at least a few hours, I'm posting a large part of the Sprint release.

The release provides a good overview of what Sprint has done in mobile TV and touches briefly on plans for the future. It also tries to anticipate Verizon's announcement and by how Sprint is better in certain aspects.

Sprint, too, is at the CES showing its current offerings as well as future projects involving WiMAX.

Sprint's press release

Today Sprint extended its leadership in mobile video by becoming the first U.S. carrier to announce more than one million customers with mobile video capability across its nationwide Power Vision and Vision networks, which cover more than 8,700 cities and communities nationwide.

Sprint has consistently led mobile video since becoming the first carrier in the United States to launch any type of multimedia experience on mobile phones in 2003, beginning with 1KTV's video slides and audio.

Since then, Sprint was the first to offer live programming, full-length movies, live concerts, Spanish-language programming and many other features on U.S. mobile phones. Some of the other key capabilities that are available on enabled Sprint phones and that show the power of Sprint's video services include:

* More than 50 channels to choose from, including CNN, ABC, FOX, ESPN, The Weather Channel, MTV, E!, The Cartoon Network, Looney Tunes and Comedy Central

* Exclusive content available for no extra charge to Vision and Power Vision data subscribers, including Sprint Power View (the only made-for-mobile video programming network in the United States with original sports and entertainment shows) and NFL Mobile (with video highlights from the end of NFL games and a live stream of NFL Network)

* Additional exclusive programming such as video from "The Ellen DeGeneres Show"

* On-demand viewing (with 2-3 minute clips that are sometimes more optimal for the mobile experience; also known as multicast) as well as live continuous streaming for an experience more like a traditional television set (also known as simulcast)

* Available across Sprint's entire Power Vision network, which is available nationwide, is time-tested and provides strong coverage under many conditions

* Available on numerous Sprint multimedia devices with a variety of price points to meet the needs of all customers

* Offered on Sprint's Power Vision network with no need to switch back and forth between other networks

* Available on the same Sprint Power Vision handsets that offer other popular data applications from Sprint, including location-based, streaming-music and song-download services

* Every Power Vision plan includes some video offerings as well as many other extras

* Customers can choose the additional video offerings they want to meet their specific interests, and not have to pay for the additional ones they don't want....

Additionally, with a rollout scheduled to begin in late 2007 and into 2008, Sprint's 4G network will provide an even more optimal experience for video, including enhanced resolution and network efficiency with simulcast and multicast capability.

It will also offer interactivity such as polling and voting and the ability to support many kinds of devices, including the handset, ultra mobile PC and high-definition set-top box.

In another key video-related area, Sprint's joint venture with Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Cox Communications and Advance/Newhouse Communications offers ways to provide a wireless "third screen" beyond the TV and computer in 2007 and onward.

The offering provides cable and wireless services and delivers an integrated bundle with video, wireless voice/data, high-speed Internet and cable phone service.

[Sent via TypePad wireless e-mail with RIM BlackBerry 8700g]