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story category AT&T Plans May Launch of MediaFLO Mobile TV
Better late than never
11:15AM Saturday Mar 29 2008 by KathrynV
tags: Video · business · wireless · alternatives · world · AT&T Midwest
Tipped by TK Junk Mail See Profile
AT&T has announced that it’s going to be releasing MediaFLO mobile TV in May. The company is a little bit behind the times; Verizon has made MediaFLO accessible to customers for nearly a year and AT&T itself planned this launch to take place at the end of 2007.

MediaFLO, a subsidiary of Qualcomm, uses former television channels to provide real time broadcasts to mobile phone customers over a network that is separate from the standard cellular network.
"The business model for FLO is complicated, involving MediaFLO, content providers and advertisers, with revenue coming from both subscribers and advertisers, (Forrester Research analyst Charles) Golvin said. AT&T's launch might have been delayed by negotiations that went on longer than expected."
In addition to the services provided here in the U.S., the mobile TV technology is being tested out in Europe and Asia although those countries seem to be leaning in favor of an alternative technology called DVB-H. Some have suggested that Echostar’s recent acquisitions in the FCC’s 700 MHz spectrum auction could provide another mobile TV alternative for consumers to consider.

Related:
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  3. CERN Launches Superfast Internet to Track Big Bang
  4. Olympic-Level Video Technology
  5. Patent Pooling Could Reduce LTE Competition
  6. Hulu Eyes Mobile Platform
  7. Echostar Begins Testing Mobile TV Options
  8. Verizon Joins Linux Open Source Coalition
Forums » AT&T Plans May Launch of MediaFLO Mobile TV

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supergirl

join:2007-03-20
Pensacola, FL
·magicjack.com
·Cox HSI
·Skype
·AT&T Southeast

How about some common sense???

How about this:

$500 fine for cellphone chatting while driving. That could also apply to texting, watching TV, etc.

Now, they want mobile tv.

You are about 75% more likely to have an accident while using a cellphone for talking (ask you insurance company if you don't believe me). Time for fine. 4 kids died while texting.

How about audio books? At least people are reading not watching inane TV like Battlestar Galatica.

Every wreck I see lately is because some MORON was talking on a Cellphone about PROBABLY NOTHING!

For me, driving has been made a health hazard because of idiots on cellphones. I don't drive a lot a night so drunks are usually not a problem.

Driving while listening to music is fun. Driving while trying to watch TV is JUST PLAIN STUPID! There Ought to Be a Law!!!

Don't people watch enough TV at home? Here's an idea: read a book instead. America is dumb and getting dumber. Gee, American Idol has basically little talent but yet millions of Americans watch it every week just to see if the gay stripper gets voted off. If they could read or did read, he already did!
--
Saving the world keeps me busy. However, I find Earth very primitive from my home planet of Krypton.
-Supergirl

Nightshade
Beware the Blue Rabbit
Premium
join:2002-05-26
Salem, OR

Re: How about some common sense???

Don't you already know? They eventually want to turn your car into a mobile living room.
--
True Happiness Must Come From Within
slcpd6469

join:2003-09-25
Valley Park, MO
It is already a law, at least in MO that a screen capable of displaying motion cannot be in view of the driver. I can only assume this would apply to cell phones with video.
benc

join:2007-06-17
Glen Carbon, IL
·Callcentric
·AT&T Midwest
·Charter Pipeline

Re: How about some common sense???

said by slcpd6469 See Profile :

It is already a law, at least in MO that a screen capable of displaying motion cannot be in view of the driver. I can only assume this would apply to cell phones with video.
My understanding is that laws like that only apply to movies and broadcast television.

This is why GPS systems (with real-time map locations) and rear-view cameras are fine.

Letting the driver watch TV is clearly a hazard, but a rear-view camera is a good thing, especially for certain vehicles that otherwise can't have them (box trucks, dump trucks, semis, buses, RVs).

rcdailey
Dragoonfly
Premium
join:2005-03-29
Rialto, CA


The fact is that the more sounds and other distractions you have inside your vehicle, the more likely it is that you will miss what is going on outside, such as someone cutting in front of you or a major accident just ahead that requires you to slow down. Knowing this is one thing, but acting on it by turning off the noise is another.

djrobx

join:2000-05-31
Valencia, CA
Some more common sense: Cellular devices can be used at times when one is not driving a vehicle.
Dydion

join:2001-03-07
Baton Rouge, LA

For yet another charge...?

Worthless. I don't want to watch TV on my phone. Waste of money.
Zoly

join:2004-01-04
Houston, TX

what's next?

And what's next?

Mobile Laundry?
Cell phone/toothbrush/microwave/vibrator/whatever else???
patcat88

join:2002-04-05
Jamaica, NY

Re: what's next?

said by Zoly See Profile :

And what's next?

Mobile Laundry?
Cell phone/toothbrush/microwave/vibrator/whatever else???
Perhaps some waterproofing and a patent are in order.

Andre_Swartz

@saix.net


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JPGrimmace

join:2003-09-16
Pontiac, MI

edit:
March 29th, @02:56PM

Grammar Police

"the mobile TV technology is being tested out in Europe and Asia although those countries seem to be leaning in favor of..."


Those countries?
benc

join:2007-06-17
Glen Carbon, IL
·Callcentric
·AT&T Midwest
·Charter Pipeline

TV on a Laptop?

If this means using a mobile as a method to show TV on your laptop, then I don't see what's so bad. After all, even the smallest laptop screens are much larger than the screens on mobiles.

However, if all you can do is watch TV on that tiny 2-3" screen, then there's little to no point at all.
wierdo

join:2001-02-16
Tulsa, OK
·Future Nine Corpor..
·Teliax VOIP
·Cox HSI

Re: TV on a Laptop?

said by benc See Profile :

If this means using a mobile as a method to show TV on your laptop, then I don't see what's so bad. After all, even the smallest laptop screens are much larger than the screens on mobiles.

However, if all you can do is watch TV on that tiny 2-3" screen, then there's little to no point at all.
It wouldn't look very good on a laptop screen. The individual channels don't have a high enough bit rate.
--
It's wierdo, not weirdo. Yes, I know that's not the 'proper' spelling of the similar english language word.
benc

join:2007-06-17
Glen Carbon, IL
·Callcentric
·AT&T Midwest
·Charter Pipeline

Re: TV on a Laptop?

said by wierdo See Profile :

It wouldn't look very good on a laptop screen. The individual channels don't have a high enough bit rate.
I didn't think of that, but you're right.

To get a good enough bit rate you'd need lots of speed, which isn't available on mobile networks.

I guess TV through a mobile really is almost useless.
EPS

join:2008-02-13
Hingham, MA

Re: TV on a Laptop?

The problem is that if you have better quality, then the mobile phone's battery consumption becomes too high- this is why they can't just use existing OTA signals.

djrobx

join:2000-05-31
Valencia, CA
Lots of people watch movies on video iPods. The screen on the touch or iphone is pretty decent for personal video viewing.
wierdo

join:2001-02-16
Tulsa, OK
·Future Nine Corpor..
·Teliax VOIP
·Cox HSI

Sure would have been nice to get DVB-H

Apparently, we just have some innate aversion do doing what the rest of the world is doing, even when they deploy before we do.
--
It's wierdo, not weirdo. Yes, I know that's not the 'proper' spelling of the similar english language word.
EPS

join:2008-02-13
Hingham, MA


edit:
March 29th, @06:21PM

Re: Sure would have been nice to get DVB-H

MediaFLO and Verizon began their partnership in 2005, before any DVB-H broadcasting had happened... though, thanks to delays, the DVB-H systems launched first.

Though, there's a subset of DVB-H called DVB-SH, which is designed for a hybrid satellite-terrestrial system, and can operate on the UHF band... I wonder if Echostar is thinking of using it?
fuziwuzi
Not born yesterday

join:2005-07-01
Atlanta, GA
·Comcast

Here's an idea!

How about a phone service that allows me to make and receive voice calls! If I want to watch TV or movies or browse the internet I already have devices that do those far better than any cellphone could ever hope to do. Besides, my phone only has a 2.3" screen, and you say there is HDTV available for it? You're kidding, right?

I'm sorry, but people who watch TV on their cellphone need to get a freakin' life!
RQFinMD

join:2007-07-09
Pasadena, MD

Re: Here's an idea!

said by fuziwuzi See Profile :

How about a phone service that allows me to make and receive voice calls! If I want to watch TV or movies or browse the internet I already have devices that do those far better than any cellphone could ever hope to do. Besides, my phone only has a 2.3" screen, and you say there is HDTV available for it? You're kidding, right?

I'm sorry, but people who watch TV on their cellphone need to get a freakin' life!

I have Verizon VCAST Mobile TV. When I'm in a commuter train or sitting at a train or bus station or airport waiting for the next train, bus, or plane and I want to watch something, what business is it of yours?

There is some interesting content. Although I don't care for all of them (NBC 2Go, NBC News 2Go, CBS Mobile, Fox Mobile, MTV, Comedy Central, ESPN, ESPN Radio, Nick, Big Brother 9, Tr3s) I found most to be of informational or entertainment value to me. No, it's not HDTV, but the video and audio quality on the LG Voyager is absolutely superb. It is an all-in-one device, allowing me to do the other usual stuff (email, Internet, text messaging, etc.). The Voyager can handle its business; of course it would be ridiculous to do this on a cell phone with a postage stamp-sized screen.

What does this have to do with having a "freakin' life?"
grumpy3b

join:2001-12-11
Lompoc, CA
·Millenicom
·DSL EXTREME

Just another way to push sound "byte" junk to those with...

an attention span the size of a gnat's arse. None of these stoopid cell phone "TV" systems are worth a crap. Everything is geared toward a 2-3 minute attention span.

I actually like the idea of getting movies or whatever to mobile devices, even cell phones. But the crap content the serve up is hardly worth the effort it takes to push the power button.

And dear gawd please save us form more politically motivated "news" reports. Either offer real video or just stop this inane effort to get yet another $20/mo outta younger folks who need to be saving more for the collapse of Social Security and their underfunded non-guaranteed retirement funds controlled by the AmeriCorp they expend their precious heart beats for in some beige cubicle.

For now I'll stick to location shifting my video content to my Nokia N800 for free over my existing Millenicom/Sprint EVDO service. At least I can see the stuff on the screen.
--
Using Millenicom? Come visit the Unofficial Millenicom forum here on BBR »Millenicom
RQFinMD

join:2007-07-09
Pasadena, MD


edit:
March 30th, @09:58AM

Re: Just another way to push sound "byte" junk to those with...

said by grumpy3b See Profile :

an attention span the size of a gnat's arse. None of these stoopid cell phone "TV" systems are worth a crap. Everything is geared toward a 2-3 minute attention span.

I actually like the idea of getting movies or whatever to mobile devices, even cell phones. But the crap content the serve up is hardly worth the effort it takes to push the power button.

And dear gawd please save us form more politically motivated "news" reports. Either offer real video or just stop this inane effort to get yet another $20/mo outta younger folks who need to be saving more for the collapse of Social Security and their underfunded non-guaranteed retirement funds controlled by the AmeriCorp they expend their precious heart beats for in some beige cubicle.

For now I'll stick to location shifting my video content to my Nokia N800 for free over my existing Millenicom/Sprint EVDO service. At least I can see the stuff on the screen.
As far as paying $20 ($15, in my case)--what, you want it for free???

"Crap" content? Content is a very subjective thing. The fact that I don't like every single thing on my VCAST Mobile TV means they have enough variety to appeal to just about anyone.

For example, I'm sure there are people out there who would LOVE to catch a LIVE NCAA tournament basketball game while they're out and about away from their big screen TV at home--I've tested it; it's actually live with only a few seconds delay compared to the same game on cable TV.

Also, they have full-length shows of what's on the broadcast channels. You can even catch the previous night's late talk shows (Conan, Leno, Letterman, Fitzgerald), or other drama and comedy shows. They even show Reno 911, American Dad, South Park...and for the 'young at heart,' Sponge Bob Square Pants, etc.

For the news junkies, they're all there--for all political persuasions (Fox, Keith Olbermann, Chris Matthews, etc.).

All their content is sent contemporaneously, NOT video-on-demand where you have to download to a buffer...it's live TV.

Have you even seen VCAST Mobile TV???
patcat88

join:2002-04-05
Jamaica, NY

proprietary

Great, now we will be littering America even more with vendor lockin proprietary standards, now that ATT who is supposed to be free and open (they are GSM right), cashes out on a subsidized free proprietary standard. Qualcomm is evil.
Forums » AT&T Plans May Launch of MediaFLO Mobile TV

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