Ok, so this blog can't handle the ampersand sign ... that's why you see ATT in the text.
ATT plans to start offering live mobile TV service through Qualcomm's MediaFlo in May, after more than a year of delay. It says that they decided to wait until May to offer the service because it is "a brand new service on a brand new network, and two brand new devices," the devices being the LG Vu and the Samsung Access.
As one of the lucky subscribers to be (if you are so inclined), you will get access to eight channels of live TV plus two exclusive channels. Pricing information will be available in May when the service officially launches.
Verizon Wireless has been offering the service for more than a year. However it has not published specific subscriber numbers, but Qualcomm's CEO Paul Jacobs said during a speech at the Tech Policy Summit in Hollywood on Wednesday that the uptake has been going slower than the company would like, according to RCR Wireless News.
Jacobs blames the carriers for not advertising the service enough. He said that carriers might be waiting for MediaFlo to increase its coverage, which he said will happen in February 2009 when TV broadcasters will transition to digital TV, the article said.
Some mobile experts question whether people really want to watch TV on their phones. Verizon is charging $15 a month extra for eight channels of live TV. Perhaps the price point is still too expensive for consumers who on average spend about $40 to $50 a month on cell phone service. And as the economy dips further into a recession, I question how willing people will be to spend extra money on what I'd consider an unnecessary service like mobile TV.
It will be interesting to see ATT's customers' response to the live TV service. ATT already offers an on-demand video service to customers who buy certain 3G data packages. Stay tuned for the results - they could foretell the future of smart phone TV uptake.
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