Sprint TV offers on-demand full-length hit shows; more than any other operator

Following one week after Verizon Wireless announced its “fall lineup” for V Cast Mobile TV, Sprint today announced its new season will allow subscribers to view full-length hit shows the day after they debut and its overall mobile television programming “offers more on-demand full-length TV series from the major networks than any other carrier,” the press release says.

The five shows that will be available this year are:  “CSI: New York” and “Numb3rs” on CBS and “Desperate Housewives,” “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Ugly Betty” on ABC.  All the premiere episodes are available on Sprint’s mobile TV this month except for “Desperate Housewives” that’s available on October.

In early 2008 the premiere episodes of ABC’s “Lost” and CBS’ “Jericho” will be available on Sprint TV.  Sprint subscribers typically will be able to view the four most recently televised shows from ABC but only the most recently televised show from CBS.

On-demand, linear, simulcast

These hit programs are on-demand rather than the “live” streaming of V Cast Mobile TV that offers some programs at the same time they are on cable/broadcast TV and others that are time-shifted.  (I watch virtually no network TV, but I do like Numb3rs that features a brilliant mathematician who helps his F.B.I. agent brother solve cases.  Any show that stars a mathematician and uses “real” math has a leg up on the networks’ typically doltish fare.)

Sprint offers three types of mobile TV from a “time” standpoint:  On-demand, that’s available any time (as long as the show is still on the menu); linear, that streams but doesn’t necessarily correspond to the programs on the regular cable/broadcast channel; and simulcast, that is the same show at the same time that’s on the regular cable/broadcast channel. 

Until Verizon launched its V Cast Mobile TV there wasn’t any contest as to the best mobile TV offerings in the United States.  They were from Sprint.  The press release says Sprint currently offers more than 50 different channels.

Excellent mobile TV choices

Now U.S. subscribers have a choice of excellent mobile TV offerings from Sprint and Verizon Wireless as well as some good choices from AT&T/Cingular and Alltel (I’m testing Alltel’s mobile TV now).

It’s too bad many of the U.S. cellular operators (and overseas operators) do such an awful job of marketing, as I wrote, for example, in a “Mobi-lize” article. 

As I’ve written before, I believe mobile TV subscribers will want a choice of a variety of types of programs — clips and full length, on-demand, linear and simulcast — at a variety of price points (such as flat rate monthly subscription, per-day/per-program or free with advertising).