Verizon unveils V Cast Mobile TV

On the eve of the annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Verizon Wireless announced V Cast Mobile TV, an ad-supported 24-hour mobile broadcasting service that will feature full-length episodes of primetime hits produced by content partners including CBS, NBC Universal, News Corp. and MTV Networks. VZW will launch the service via Qualcomm's MediaFLO solution, which the carrier says boasts speeds of 25 to 30 screen shots per second, or roughly twice as fast as rival mobile broadcasting solutions like MobiTV.

Through a series of MediaFLO content licensing partnerships also announced in the hours prior to CES, V Cast Mobile TV will offer current network favorites including "CSI," "Late Night with Conan O'Brien," "24" and "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" as well as classic titles from the vaults when the service rolls out before the end of the first quarter. Other content partners including ESPN are rumored, and it is expected the programming slate will encompass as many as 20 separate channels at launch. V Cast Mobile TV content will be formatted expressly for the mobile screen-i.e., eliminating stock tickers from news broadcasts, spotlighting close-ups of actors, and so forth. The service will also include a corresponding channel listings grid.

Verizon Wireless said V Cast Mobile TV will only be available on new handsets equipped with MediaFLO chips, announcing two new models: the Samsung SC-u620 and the LG VX9400. The carrier declined comment on specific markets included in the initial rollout, additionally refusing comment on the price of the service or the price of the new phones.

For more on V Cast Mobile TV:
- read this release

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