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Mar. 5, 2007

Last week, MediaFLO launched its V Cast Mobile TV service in 20 U.S. markets.

Overall, this will increase the competition between MediaFLO and DVB-H.

In February, Cingular Wireless announced its intentions to use MediaFLO’s network for its forthcoming mobile TV offering.

MediaFLO USA’s network, which went live March 1st with carrier partner Verizon Wireless, will light up more cities as broadcasters vacate Channel 55.

On average, analysts say that the process is a little more complicated because they typically also clear Channels 54 and 56 because of potential interference issues.

To accelerate the process, Qualcomm has been using incentives to try to speed up TV stations vacating those channels in advance of the FCC-mandated deadline.

Meanwhile, Modeo, the DVB-H mobile TV contingent, launched its live mobile TV beta service in New York City two months ago.

The beta, which involves several hundred users, includes program content from Fox News and Discovery Channel.

Although Modeo has rolled out DVB-H in New York, it is the lone live U.S. market offering of the European standard for mobile TV.

Modeo is still in discussions with carriers and MVNOs, and it has not yet locked in any agreements.

“I don’t see how anyone can compete in the U.S. now that MediaFLO has locked up the two largest U.S. operators in Cingular Wireless and Verizon Wireless,” said Andy Seybold, head of consulting firm Andrew Seybold Group.

For about a year now, DVB-H has typically been associated with GSM carriers, while MediaFLO has traditionally been associated with CDMA carriers.

Cingular’s breaking with tradition will have an interesting, far-reaching effect on future opportunities for Qualcomm’s MediaFLO, Seybold said.

"MediaFLO isn't limiting itself to the U.S. market.

It recently completed its second technical trial of its technology in the U.K. Both of those tests were with British Sky Broadcasting," said Paul Jacobs, CEO of Qualcomm.

“You have to give credit to Qualcomm,” Seybold says. Besides its MediaFLO activities, the company also is sampling its Universal Broadcast Modem chipset, which supports MediaFLO, DVB-H, and 1-segment Integrated Services Digital Broadcasting.

Qualcomm is offering a combo chipset that will make it possible for handset makers to address whichever standard a market might pursue, he says.

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Source: Wireless Week