FLO TV planning to trim subscription prices

With Qualcomm's FLO TV mobile broadcast unit planning to offer its services directly to consumers later this year, president Bill Stone tells The New York Times its current mobile TV package is too expensive, and price cuts are planned. According to Stone, the $25 to $30 per month that partners Verizon Wireless and AT&T charge subscribers for their FLO-powered mobile TV efforts is too steep: "My view is that is shooting over the heads of the market," he said, adding that Qualcomm does not set the retail prices for services offered by its operator partners. But with the imminent introduction of FLO's D2C efforts, Stone said customers will be able to subscribe to annual plans priced at less than $10 per month--FLO TV is also likely to offer one-day plans (priced around $5) and month-to-month service (priced in the $10 range).

Stone adds that FLO TV is presently at work on efforts to integrate its mobile TV service with iPhones, BlackBerry devices and other mobile handsets without built-in receivers. The firm also plans to market a keychain-size gizmo that can receive television signals over the air and transmit them via WiFi to smartphones, and is additionally exploring integration with portable game players, GPS navigation navigation, netbooks and in-auto video systems.

For more on FLO TV's plans:
- read this New York Times article

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