MediaFLO

Mobile entertainment at a crossroads, again

Jason Ankeny — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 18:26:47 -0400

Billboard's semi-annual Mobile Entertainment Live! conference, taking place September 9, introduces a new format this time around, promising an event shaped in large part by audience interaction. In addition to staples like keynote interviews and presentations as well as in-depth tracks emphasizing mobile content tentpoles like music, video and advertising, Mobile Entertainment Live! will spotlight product demonstrations, Q&A sessions and moderator-free open feedback forums. Another significant change: The conference is produced in association with handset giant Nokia, whose head of major label relations Paul Smith is among the keynote presenters. Other scheduled keynoters include Warner Music Group's executive vice president of digital strategy and business development Michael Nash, MySpace's senior director of mobile business development Brandon Lucas and MediaFLO's senior vice president of programming and advertising Jonathan Barzilay.

But conspicuously absent from the Mobile Entertainment Live! presenter roster are executives from any of the major wireless carriers, which underscores one of the major questions heading into CTIA Wireless I.T. & Entertainment 2008: What role do operators play in the fast-evolving mobile content marketplace, anyway? Given the expanding mobile web presence of major media brands and content providers, the continued emergence of off-deck mobile storefronts, and the growing profile of device maker retail platforms like Apple's iTunes and Nokia's Comes With Music, operators are in more danger than ever of finding themselves relegated to dumb pipe status. No less a surefire CTIA Wireless I.T. conversation starter: The economy, and the impact the recession will have on consumer spending on mobile data. According to a recent report issued by advisory firm Chetan Sharma Consulting, the U.S. wireless data market grew 40 percent in Q2 2008 compared to year-ago totals, generating $8.2 billion in data revenues--average data ARPU also increased $0.50 during the most recent quarter. Will subscribers continue shelling out for mobile data in the face of economic hardship? And if not, what does that mean for a wireless industry increasingly dependent on data revenues? Those are the Q's--we'll see if anyone has the A's.

Qualcomm turns on, tunes in and zooms out

Fri, 30 May 2008 06:59:58 -0400

Qualcomm grabbed the spotlight at its eighth annual BREW development conference to champion a vision for the wireless industry that expands beyond voice services into new business models, service offerings and markets. According to Qualcomm Internet Services senior vice president and general manager of BREW Bob Briggs, the theme of BREW 2008--the ubiquitous "Zoom Out"--heralds the company's belief that widening its reach to embrace a more open and flexible approach promises to optimize growth throughout the mobile value chain, a point reiterated time and again in subsequent appearances by CEO Paul Jacobs and executive vice president and group president Len Lauer.

Jacobs' keynote touted the concept of convergence, outlining a future in which Qualcomm's core technologies enable connected services in all kinds of consumer electronics and personal devices, not just mobile handsets. "It's no longer good enough to have a browser on the phone--we need to take advantage of things inherent in the wireless network," Jacobs said. "The Kindle [Amazon's e-book reader product] is a great example of a focused device and service that uses mobile to change the way people behave. It doesn't look like a phone, and users don't sign up for a mobile service." Jacobs cited televisions and DVD players as everyday household products that could benefit enormously from the addition of connectivity, and said Qualcomm plans to begin preloading some BREW applications on electronic devices at the point of retail release.

Lauer meanwhile addressed Qualcomm's horizontal capabilities and their role in expanding the scope of application development. He pointed to tentpole services including mobile commerce, content delivery, broadcast media, location and presence, and advertising and presence as increasingly vital components of the mobile user experience. Lauer outlined a hypothetical scenario whereby he could be shopping in a Nordstrom's department store: Thanks to presence and geotagging features, his phone could receive coupons or discounts based on past Nordstrom's purchases, get recommendations according to his consumer profile and make payments via credit cards or retailer loyalty card programs.

Lauer also spotlighted Qualcomm's MediaFLO mobile broadcast technology. In recent weeks, the firm introduced a new in-vehicle mobile TV service, and Lauer said Qualcomm will continue to explore similar opportunities, including consumer electronics. "Why not mobile TV as an additional feature or differentiator?" he said. The conventional MediaFLO mobile TV platform is also poised for growth: Lauer said new channels will roll out later this year, and Qualcomm is also exploring original content production from both professional and user-generated sources.

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French legislators issue DVB-H broadcast licenses

Thu, 29 May 2008 06:59:55 -0400

French audiovisual regulator CSA awarded DVB-H mobile TV broadcast licenses to 13 private channels, including France Telecom's Orange Sports and filmmaker Luc Besson's EuropaCorp TV. In addition, CSA reserved channels for public broadcasters France 2, France 3 and Arte. Only two premium mobile TV channels, Eurosport and Canal Plus, scored CSA licenses--the others will pursue subsidized revenue models. The CSA received 36 mobile TV license applications in all, with CSA head Michel Boyon adding that more licenses will be issued if spectrum is freed up as a result of 2009's planned digital TV transition.

For more on the DVB-H licenses:
- read this TelecomPaper article

Related article:
EU picks DVB-H, not FLO

Qualcomm wins L-Band spectrum auction

Fri, 16 May 2008 06:59:59 -0400

Wireless solutions developer Qualcomm announced it acquired 40 MHz of L-Band radio spectrum auctioned by Britain's communications regulator Ofcom for $16.2 million. While Qualcomm stated only that the 1452-1492 MHz spectrum slice affords the opportunity to launch a series of wireless technologies in the U.K. market, Ofcom points out in its own press release that the L-band is "suitable for offering services such as mobile television, wireless broadband and satellite radio," virtually guaranteeing Qualcomm will introduce its MediaFLO mobile TV platform overseas. Although Qualcomm and entertainment provider British Sky Broadcasting announced the completion of a U.K. MediaFLO technical trial in late 2006, the European Commission has since officially endorsed the rival DVB-H mobile TV standard, slowing MediaFLO's international momentum.

For more on Qualcomm's spectrum acquisition:
- read this release

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AT&T confirms mobile TV to launch May 4

Thu, 01 May 2008 06:59:59 -0400

AT&T officially confirmed reports its long-delayed mobile TV initiative will launch May 4. The MediaFLO-based AT&T Mobile TV's programming lineup will encompass wireless broadcasting staples CBS Mobile, ESPN Mobile TV, Fox Mobile, NBC 2Go, NBC News 2Go, Comedy Central, MTV and Nickelodeon as well as two exclusive channels: Sony Pictures Television's PIX, which offers contemporary films from the studio's library, and CNN Mobile Live, which promises breaking news coverage as well as programs like American Morning, Larry King Live and Anderson Cooper 360. (As recently as last month, CNN denied reports it would introduce the AT&T channel.) During its first 60 days on air, AT&T Mobile TV will also feature CNCRT, a concert channel delivered by entertainment production and distribution firm Control Room; during each 24-hour daily programming cycle, CNCRT will air concert videos from acts including Jay-Z, Sheryl Crow, Fall Out Boy and Avril Lavigne.

AT&T Mobile TV will launch on two exclusive handsets: The LG Vu, a touchscreen device with a music player, 2.0 megapixel camera and Bluetooth capabilities priced at $299.99 with a two-year service agreement and after a $100 mail-in rebate, and the Samsung Access, which features a landscape display, camera, external stereo speakers and stereo Bluetooth for $199.99 with a two-year service agreement and after a $100 mail-in rebate. AT&T Mobile TV will launch in 58 markets, including Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, New York City, Philadelphia, San Diego, Seattle and Washington, D.C. AT&T will make available three pricing options: $13 a month for a limited basic package including access to four channels (CBS Mobile, Fox Mobile, NBC 2Go and NBC News 2Go); $15 a month for the Basic package including unlimited mobile TV access; and $30 a month for the Mobile TV Plus package, which includes unlimited Mobile TV, unlimited mobile web browsing on AT&T MEdia Net and unlimited access to the CV on-demand mobile video service.

For more on AT&T Mobile TV:
- read this release

AT&T Mobile TV to launch May 4

Fri, 18 Apr 2008 06:59:59 -0400

AT&T will formally launch its long-awaited AT&T Mobile TV service on May 4. Citing anonymous sources inside the operator, The Boy Genius Report says the MediaFLO USA-based broadcast service will be available as three separate premium packages: the Mobile TV Limited option, available at $13 per month, includes four channels--Fox Mobile, CBS Mobile, NBC, and NBC News--while the Mobile TV Basic plan boasts nine channels, adding Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, CNN Mobile and ESPN to the Limited roster for just $2 more per month. The Mobile TV Plus plan, with a price tag of $30 per month, includes all nine aforementioned broadcast channels as well as PIX, an exclusive full-length movie channel announced earlier this month by Sony Pictures Television.

For more on the AT&T Mobile TV launch:
- read this Boy Genius Report article

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Is full-length video the answer?

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 07:00:00 -0400

One of the more interesting content announcements to come out of the CTIA Wireless 2008 show was the news that when AT&T launches its MediaFLO mobile broadcast TV service in May, it will have one exclusive channel dedicated to long-form movies.

Sony Pictures Television will launch the channel, called PIX, and will deliver full-length films to viewers. The films will be available for one month and new titles will be added each week. Most of these films will be classics, rather than new releases, and Sony expects people to watch portions of the film rather than its entirety.

I think it will be very interesting to see how this long-form video channel does and whether it's appealing to consumers. According to Linda Barrabee, program manager, consumer research, mobility at the Yankee Group, full-length video is one of the top things that consumers say they want to see on their mobile devices.

Of course, this isn't the first example of movies being delivered to cell phones but it is the first time that I'm aware of them being broadcast in real-time. MSpot offers a mobile movie service on Sprint Nextel's wireless network and on Bell Mobility's network in Canada. The service offers movies to the handset on a pay-per-view basis but they are only available for a limited time. At Bell Mobility, subscribers are charged $5.99 for the service, plus they have to have a subscription to the unlimited web browsing package.

That seems like a high price to pay to get a movie delivered to my phone. Like so many innovative mobile entertainment services, the success of Sony's PIX channel will hinge on the pricing. Barrabee says that according to Yankee Group's user study, pricing remains the primary barrier to mobile entertainment adoption.

But as Barrabee said during FierceMarkets' "The Newsmakers of CTIA" webinar, content owners aren't sitting on the sidelines waiting for carriers to solve the pricing, discovery and user experience issues associated with mobile entertainment. Instead firms like Sony Pictures and others are innovating and expanding the content selection. --Sue

P.S. if you'd like to hear more about Barrabee's takeaways from CTIA, you may view the archive of "The Newsmakers of CTIA" by clicking here.

MediaFLO trials automobile TV

Mon, 14 Apr 2008 06:59:58 -0400

Wireless solutions developer Qualcomm announced it will demonstrate in-vehicle applications of its MediaFLO mobile broadcast platform during the NAB 2008 event taking place this week in Las Vegas. According to Qualcomm, the in-vehicle demonstration features an SUV outfitted with a pair of rear headrest television screens with VGA resolution--a MediaFLO receiver integrated in the rear center console will receive live streaming television content at QVGA resolution, with the center console controller enabling users to launch the electronic channel guide, switch channels and access optional MediaFLO features. "This proof-of-concept demonstration further illustrates the business potential of the MediaFLO platform and the diverse range of inventive mobile broadcast solutions that can be supported," said MediaFLO senior vice president and general manager Neville Meijers in a prepared statement. "MediaFLO was purpose-built for mobility and speed, making it an ideal platform upon which to build a cost-effective in-vehicle solution that can deployed on a mass-market scale."

For more on the MediaFLO in-vehicle trial:
-read this release

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No mobile TV exclusive for AT&T and CNN?

Tue, 08 Apr 2008 06:59:58 -0400

Cable news giant CNN is denying reports of an agreement with AT&T to launch an exclusive mobile TV channel via the operator's forthcoming MediaFLO USA-based service. Speaking last week at the CTIA Wireless 2008 event, AT&T Mobility president and CEO Ralph de la Vega said CNN will supply an exclusive AT&T channel scheduled to launch in May--however, in an interview with Multichannel News, CNN Worldwide director of public relations Jen Martin said "There is no deal in place do that with AT&T," adding that while the network provides some news content to the carrier, no exclusive agreement exists. An AT&T spokesperson confirmed de la Vega's CTIA remarks, but declined further comment.

For more on the AT&T/CNN confusion:
- read this Multichannel News article

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Qualcomm doubles FLO TV spectrum in 28 markets

Fri, 04 Apr 2008 07:59:56 -0400

Wireless technologies solutions provider Qualcomm announced it acquired eight licenses in the U.S. Federal Communications Commission's recent 700 MHz spectrum auction, effectively doubling the footprint of its MediaFLO mobile TV service. Qualcomm ponied up $558.1 million for the E block spectrum licenses, which covers 28 markets including New York City, Boston, Los Angeles, Philadelphia and San Francisco--the firm said the spectrum will enable delivery of additional content and services in these areas. Qualcomm also acquired three B block licenses at a price tag of $3.5 million. "We have defined the mobile TV experience nationwide with our FLO TV service, and the acquisition of additional spectrum in many of America's largest cities provides us with the flexibility to take the mobile entertainment experience to the next level," said MediaFLO president Gina Lombardi in a prepared statement.

For more on Qualcomm's spectrum score:
- read this release

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Sony to launch feature films channel via AT&T

Mon, 31 Mar 2008 07:59:59 -0400

Sony Pictures Television announced a deal with AT&T to launch the first full-length movie channel on mobile via the operator's fledgling AT&T Mobile TV service, scheduled to debut in May. The linear Sony Pictures channel, dubbed PIX, is one of two new channels exclusive to the AT&T/MediaFLO USA effort--Sony imprints including Columbia, TriStar, Screen Gems and Sony Classics will supply content for PIX, with confirmed titles including Ghostbusters, Philadelphia and Stand by Me. Each film will run for one month, with new titles added weekly. "What you see a lot on the carrier decks is promotional content that people can snack a little on," said Sony Pictures vice president of mobile entertainment Eric Berger in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter. "There's nothing currently there as deeply entertaining as these movies. We recognize that people are on the go with their mobile phone and coming and going. This isn't for people looking to view a movie for the first time. It's OK to miss the beginning."

For more on PIX:
- read this Hollywood Reporter article

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AT&T Mobile TV finally on tap for May

Fri, 28 Mar 2008 07:59:59 -0400

AT&T and MediaFLO USA said the long-gestating AT&T Mobile TV service will finally launch in May 2008, more than a year after the firms formally announced their partnership. According to AT&T, the service will deliver full-length television content and sporting events from networks including CBS Mobile, NBC 2GO, FOX Mobile, Comedy Central, ESPN Mobile TV, MTV and Nickelodeon. AT&T Mobile TV will debut on two new exclusive handsets, the LG Vu and the Samsung Access, and will also feature two exclusive channels to be named later.

For more on the AT&T Mobile TV launch:
- read this release

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Verizon intros exclusive V Cast TV channels

Fri, 28 Mar 2008 07:59:58 -0400

Not to be outdone, Verizon Wireless announced two new exclusive additions to its own MediaFLO-enabled mobile TV effort, V Cast Mobile TV, launching MTV Tr3s and ESPN Radio. The bilingual MTV Tr3s will bring to mobile popular programs including Sucker Free Latino, Karlifornia, Quiero Mis Quinces, Pimpeando and Rock Dinner. The network will introduce Verizon subscribers to its programming with a 30-minute V Cast Mobile TV special hosted by VJ Karli Henriquez, and the mobile TV service will also be the subject of a promotional push on the cable network's website, radio outlet and even a 40-foot electronic billboard in New York's Times Square. Meanwhile, the fledgling ESPN Radio mobile channel will feature 24/7 sports news and analysis from series including the enormously entertaining Mike and Mike in the Morning, The Mike Tirico Show, The Pulse and GameNight.

In other pre-CTIA Wireless 2008 announcements, Verizon said it will offer access to the fledgling MySpace Mobile social networking service across all of its Mobile Web 2.0-enabled handsets, promising subscribers the tools to edit MySpace profiles, view and add friends, post comments and blogs, send and receive MySpace messages via mobile device. Verizon will also debut new Mobile Web 2.0 sites for Viacom-owned cable networks MTV, VH1, Comedy Central, Nickelodeon and CMT.

For more on the MTV Tr3s mobile channel:
- read this release

For more on the ESPN Radio mobile channel:
- read this release

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When will the tide turn for mobile content?

Tue, 19 Feb 2008 07:00:00 -0500

Last week at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona I was hoping to hear some positive news in the mobile content space. Unfortunately I was sorely disappointed.

Instead I heard a lot more of the same complaints that have been plaguing the mobile content space for the past year. Growth is flat and mobile operators are still demanding a big chunk of the revenue share making it impossible for many mobile content firms to stay afloat. The direct-to-consumer model--once thought to be so promising--is not the moneymaker that many firms thought it would be because marketing to consumers is no easy task particularly if you don't already have brand awareness. Porting applications to devices is still costly and cumbersome but a necessity if you want to work with any of the tier 1 mobile operators.

In all, I heard a lot of frustration in the voices of the mobile content executives. What was once such a promising and exciting segment of the wireless business has turned into an arena full of dissatisfaction and disappointment.

But there are a few signs of hope on the horizon. Many are excited by the prospect of open networks in the U.S. and are hopeful that Verizon Wireless' pledge to open its network to any device and application in late 2008 will be a boon for the mobile content industry.

Others are hopeful that developments like Nokia's Ovi mobile Internet platform and Sony Ericsson's PlayNow platform will help drive more consumer adoption of mobile content and allow for more entrants into the mobile content space that until now has been very tightly controlled by the operators.

I certainly hope that between now and CTIA Wireless 2008 (April 1-3) there are some positive developments in mobile entertainment that will get us out of this gloomy place. There are two developments that I've been anxiously waiting for and have yet to see come to fruition:

1. AT&T's much-heralded launch of MediaFLO's mobile TV service. It was originally supposed to launch at the beginning of the year. Rumors then swirled that it would launch earlier this month but that never happened.

2. Verizon Wireless' launch of Real Networks' Rhapsody America's music service. Last August Real Networks announced it would merge its Rhapsody music service with MTV's Urge music service and it would be distributed by Verizon Wireless. It was expected to debut in early 2008. When asked about the status, Real Networks defers all questions to Verizon Wireless and so far Verizon hasn't responded to my inquiries. -Sue

AT&T's MedioFLO launch delayed again?

Fri, 08 Feb 2008 06:59:58 -0500

After announcing late last year its intentions to launch its long-planned live mobile TV service "as early as possible" in 2008, AT&T has apparently delayed the MediaFLO-based service's debut yet again. AT&T's rumored Feb. 5 launch date has come and gone, and now Mobiunity reports the operator's latest pricing data, which extends through April 7, makes no mention of the LG Vu or the Samsung Access, the two handsets commonly associated with the MedioFLO service. Of course, with Mobile World Congress just days away, it's entirely possible AT&T is simply waiting to make a splash by officially unveiling the service in Barcelona. We shall see.

According to AT&T, the MediaFLO service will launch with eight live, linear channels: CBS Mobile, Fox Mobile, NBC2Go, NBC News2Go, ESPN Mobile TV, MTV, Comedy Central and Nickelodeon. Neither pricing information nor an official brand for the service has yet been announced. The mobile TV solution was first supposed to go live in the fourth quarter of 2007: "The testing of the software and hardware is going very, very well, but we decided to take just a little extra time to make sure the user experience is absolutely optimal," said AT&T executive director of media relations Mark Siegel at that time.

For more speculation:
- read this Mobiunity article

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Will economic pressures hinder AT&T's TV debut?

Tue, 29 Jan 2008 07:00:00 -0500

It's been about a year since AT&T announced its intent to use Qualcomm's MediaFLO technology to launch a mobile broadcast TV service, and many in the industry expect the service to finally launch in the coming week.

I don't know what types of promotional offers AT&T will unveil to lure subscribers to this new service, but I suspect its long-awaited debut may be hindered by the current softness in the economy. In fact, I wonder if AT&T isn't regretting pushing back its launch of the service from late 2007 until early 2008 now that the economy has taken a turn for the worse.

If AT&T truly wants to gain traction in the market with its mobile TV offering, the operator will not only have to differentiate its service with its programming, but it will also have to come up with some creative pricing scenarios. This could be a prime opportunity for ad-supported mobile TV content to finally gain some traction.

During recent fourth quarter earnings calls, both AT&T and Verizon Wireless executives assured investors that they haven't seen any impact from the economy on their wireless services. In fact, growth in data services is a strong as ever. Verizon reported data makes up about $11.06 in retail ARPU. In addition, it said that its customers sent and received 45 billion text messages and 927 million picture/video messages in the fourth quarter. AT&T reported fourth quarter postpaid data ARPU of $12. Its customers sent 496 million multimedia messages and more than 32 billion text messages in the fourth quarter.

However, I suspect that when it comes to the uptake of a new service, particularly one like mobile TV, customers will have second thoughts. I think that in the months ahead we'll see consumers be more reluctant to upgrade their handsets and commit to new entertainment services such as mobile TV. -Sue

Forecast: Mobile TV subs to grow to 462M by 2012

Thu, 24 Jan 2008 06:59:55 -0500

The expansion of 3G networks and flat-rate data plans will combine to drive mobile TV subscriber totals to 462 million worldwide by 2012, according to a new forecast released by market analysis firm ABI Research. Mobile video delivery network buildouts and an increasing volume of available content will also accelerate consumer demand, ABI notes, projecting the Asia-Pacific region as the overall adoption leader, growing from 24 million mobile TV subscribers in 2007 to more than 260 million by 2012. "South Korea and Japan will continue to lead worldwide, while some countries in Western Europe will also continue to see strong growth," said ABI research director Mike Wolf in a prepared statement. "North America will also see some strong uptake as more services become available in 2008 with the launch of AT&T's MediaFLO service, the continued expansion of Verizon Wireless' MediaFLO subscriber base, and the growth of on-demand mobile video services."

For more on the ABI Research forecast:
- read this release

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Qualcomm files $240 million loss on MediaFLO

Tue, 22 Jan 2008 06:59:59 -0500

Qualcomm filed a proxy statement with the SEC reporting a $240 million loss on its MediaFLO mobile TV technology for fiscal 2007. Qualcomm Strategic Initiatives, the division charged with overseeing the MediaFLO USA subsidiary, reported the loss, which nearly doubled its 2006 MediaFLO losses of $133 million. "QSI's loss before taxes included a $118 million increase in our MediaFLO USA subsidiary's loss before taxes comprised primarily of $70 million in cost of services revenues related to the commencement of our MediaFLO services in March 2007 and a $42 million increase in selling, general and administrative expenses, including $20 million related to cooperative marketing expenses," the SEC filing states.

For more on the Qualcomm filing:
- read this InformationWeek article

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Mobile TV thinks local

Fri, 11 Jan 2008 07:00:00 -0500

Despite slumping mobile TV adoption, not one but two new standards made a splash at this year's Consumer Electronics Show. Digital broadcast service provider MobiTV, electronics firms Samsung and Rohde & Schwarz, communications solutions provider Nokia Siemens Networks and satellite communications company SES Americom formally debuted Advanced Vestigial Sideband (A-VSB), a Samsung-developed, backward-compatible enhancement of the existing U.S. digital TV broadcasting system that promises to deliver local and national programming as well as interactive applications to mobile devices "in-band"--i.e., on local stations' transmitters and spectrum. Not be outdone, LG Electronics and broadcast solutions provider Harris Corporation unveiled MPH (Mobile-Portable-Handheld), another in-band system which offers pretty much the same bells and whistles as A-VSB but boasts a far cooler acronym.

Both A-VSB and MPH enable broadcasters to deliver mobile TV while bypassing wireless operators. Setting aside the question of which standard is more promising and robust--and right now, your guess is as good as mine--the other issue to consider is whether local broadcasters can truly compete against carrier-supported mobile TV platforms like MobiTV and MediaFLO, which stack the deck with hand-me-down primetime hits and late-night programming from the networks and cable. But not only can local content battle for mobile TV viewers, it may well trump the familiar MobiTV and MediaFLO channel lineups.

Independent telcos seeking a competitive edge against cable and satellite providers have long made local programming a cornerstone of their IPTV efforts--after all, any cable or satellite service can deliver network sitcoms, premium dramas and Hollywood blockbusters, but only a broadcaster rooted in its community will offer on-demand viewing of the high school football team's thrashing of its cross-town rival or a particularly heated city council meeting. It's a situation mirrored in the current mobile TV environment, where operator-backed services deliver programming selected for maximum demographic-wide appeal, offering little that isn't already available via other national broadcast platforms. A-VSB and MPH promise something truly different, expanding the personal relevancy of what mobile subscribers watch as well as when and how they watch it. For example, a local affiliate could make the latest headlines, traffic and weather available on-demand immediately after the traditional newscast airs, enabling viewers to tune in and catch up via mobile whenever the opportunity presents itself. Add search and advertising revenues to the mix, and local-centric mobile TV seems even more lucrative.

Sure, local content isn't flashy, but that's the point. With its emphasis on talking-heads close-ups and its dearth of fancy-pants visual effects, it's programming that's tailor-made for the limitations of the mobile handsets. Small-town content for the smallest screen--sounds like must-see TV to me. --Jason

CES: Bringing it all together- Interview with Len Lauer

Tue, 08 Jan 2008 07:00:00 -0500

At yesterday's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, I sat down with Qualcomm Executive Vice President and Group President Len Lauer to talk to the former COO and president of Sprint about his move to the San Diego tech firm and his vision for the company's various mobile content initiatives, many of which are grouped in the Qualcomm Internet Services division.

Lauer says that Qualcomm sees the following six areas as being key: Content delivery, which includes the BREW platform; position location services; MediaFLO (the firm's mobile broadcast TV technology); m-commerce; connectivity (which Lauer characterizes as the growing trend to provide consumer electronics devices with connectivity); and advertising and recommendations.

When I asked Lauer what impact Verizon Wireless' recent decision to open up its network to all devices and applications will have upon its relationship with BREW, he said it may have an impact on BREW but he warned me not to read too much into Verizon's announcement. Lauer said that he believes that few consumers will actually take advantage of the "open" network option and will instead continue to purchase their content and their devices through Verizon. "I think it was a great move by Verizon, but I'm not sure it will have that much of an effect," Lauer said.

I also asked Lauer about AT&T's progress with MediaFLO. The operator was supposed to launch MediaFLO last fall but delayed that launch until early 2008. Lauer wouldn't say when AT&T's MediaFLO launch will occur, but he said that there is a growing awareness of MediaFLO and he envisions that Qualcomm will co-brand the service with some of its partners as "FloTV."

Lauer is bullish on Qualcomm's November acquisition of m-commerce firm Firethorn Holdings for $210 million. Lauer says this deal is significant because Firethorn already has relationships with the two largest U.S. operators, Verizon and AT&T. He believes that since the Firethorn application will be preloaded with AT&T and Verizon Wireless handsets, consumers will be more likely to use it and that will help drive more m-commerce usage. He believes the answer to m-commerce's success is through integration with the operators, something that not all banks want to do. "We think this will be a key transition year in m-commerce," Lauer said.

Based upon my discussion with Lauer, I think we'll see more movement by Qualcomm in this mobile content and services area. The tech firm seems intent upon growing this business either organically or through acquisitions. --Sue