Verizon Wireless will begin offering mobile television on March 1, according to coverage maps on the carrier’s Web site, reports RCR News.
Verizon Wireless has branded the service as “Vcast Mobile TV.” No further details were offered, and the maps offered the caveat that mobile TV would be available only in “select markets” on March 1. The maps do not currently show coverage in major markets such as New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Diego or Las Vegas.
The carrier is using Qualcomm’s MediaFLO for the service. Cingular also announced it will use MediaFLO for mobile TV, and is expected to launch commercial service later this year.
Last month Verizon Wireless announced it will offer two mobile television-capable handsets, the Samsung SCH-u620 and the LG Electronics VX9400 (with a swiveling screen).
The carrier announced last month that it would offer shows from CBS, Comedy Central, Fox, MTV, NBC News, NBC Entertainment and Nickelodeon. Other than the launch date of March 1, Verizon Wireless’ Web site does not include did not include any additional information on programming or pricing for the service.
MediaFLO USA plans to go live in 20 to 30 markets in the first quarter and already has live networks covering entire metropolitan areas from Las Vegas to Chicago.
Qualcomm’s MediaFLO uses a proprietary (FLO) system running over their dedicated channel (UHF channel 55), while Aloha Partner’s HiWire intends to use the DVB-H mobile tv standard on two 6 Mhz wide channels, UHF channel 54 and 59, which they bought at the FCC’s lower 700 MHz auction nearly 5 years ago (for a relative song). Modeo uses a dedicated 6 Mhz wide channel at 1.675 GHz.
In January, Steve Kaluza, Transmitter Supervisor for KGW-TV, Portland, Oregon, said: “MediaFlo plans to begin radiating from their new antenna at the top of the Skyline Tower Site’s main tower Friday, January 5th. They are on channel 55, 716-722 MHz., at 50,000 Watts ERP.”
This week in Congress, executives from XM and Sirius will argue for a $13 billion satellite monopoly. Traditional broadcasters also favor consolidation. In October, the National Association of Broadcasters asked the FCC to relax ownership limits in local markets, so companies could control yet more stations per town.
“There’s really only six or seven guys around the country right now deciding who’s on the radio,” says Victor Ives. “There’s a lot of talent out there that hasn’t been able to find its way on the air. It creates a tremendous opportunity for us.” His satellite feed and streaming video broadcast, called White Springs TV, is free and runs a mix of movies, cartoons, short subjects and interactive content.
Related DailyWireless Mobile TV articles include; Mobile TV: Six Flavors, Verizon Launching MediaFLO, Modeo’s NYC Mobile TV Delayed, Hiwire Moves on Mobile TV, Zune Phone Goes WiMAX?, Sprint to Demo Mobile WiMAX at CES, MobiTV + NDS = Content Management, Verizon Wireless Does YouTube, Modeo in NYC, UK Tests TDtv, T-Mobile: 3G, No FLO, Mobile TV Metrics and HDTV from Aircraft.
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