Comments on: Mobile TV: at a critical point now? http://www.intomobile.com/2009/03/06/mobile-tv-at-a-critical-point-now.html Cell Phone News, Information, and Analysis Thu, 26 Nov 2009 08:47:50 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 By: Carolyn Schuk, Editor Mobile TV Update http://www.intomobile.com/2009/03/06/mobile-tv-at-a-critical-point-now.html/comment-page-1/#comment-332566 Carolyn Schuk, Editor Mobile TV Update Mon, 09 Mar 2009 01:58:27 +0000 http://www.intomobile.com/?p=41950#comment-332566 You're missing two things: First, the series of operations required to watch IPTV on a handset -- booting up the browser, finding the website, waiting for the video to load up, and dealing with WiFi networks fading in or out (or paying carriers data rates) -- is too much trouble. Regular folks just want to watch TV. They want to hit a button that says "TV" or "on" and...presto!...there's Brian Williams. In Asia, this is exactly what people do. They buy a handset that costs about US$100, charge it up, and watch broadcast -- over the air, even analog (visit www.Telegent.com) --TV. There are no intermediate steps, no subscription required, no data network services. Which brings me to my second point. Second, broadcast mobile TV is where the real action is. When the US makes the switch to digital, broadcasters will be able to use the same transmission infrastructure to broadcast to mobile devices equipped with ATSC tuners (visit www.openmobilevideo.com). Potentially, this offers US over-the-air TV a whole new lease on life. The fly in the ointment is that, unlike in Asia, US handset sales are controlled by carriers, who have no interest in handsets that give you free TV. So there's a market problem, but this may increase demand for open handsets. You’re missing two things:

First, the series of operations required to watch IPTV on a handset — booting up the browser, finding the website, waiting for the video to load up, and dealing with WiFi networks fading in or out (or paying carriers data rates) — is too much trouble. Regular folks just want to watch TV. They want to hit a button that says “TV” or “on” and…presto!…there’s Brian Williams. In Asia, this is exactly what people do. They buy a handset that costs about US$100, charge it up, and watch broadcast — over the air, even analog (visit http://www.Telegent.com) –TV. There are no intermediate steps, no subscription required, no data network services. Which brings me to my second point.

Second, broadcast mobile TV is where the real action is. When the US makes the switch to digital, broadcasters will be able to use the same transmission infrastructure to broadcast to mobile devices equipped with ATSC tuners (visit http://www.openmobilevideo.com). Potentially, this offers US over-the-air TV a whole new lease on life. The fly in the ointment is that, unlike in Asia, US handset sales are controlled by carriers, who have no interest in handsets that give you free TV. So there’s a market problem, but this may increase demand for open handsets.

]]> By: Drew Robertson http://www.intomobile.com/2009/03/06/mobile-tv-at-a-critical-point-now.html/comment-page-1/#comment-332419 Drew Robertson Sat, 07 Mar 2009 13:48:52 +0000 http://www.intomobile.com/?p=41950#comment-332419 It's clear that TVoIP (TV over IP) is the way forward for mobile TV. The audiences for the various proprietary OTA-handset solutions are too fragmented and too small for advertisers to make the effort. PPV and subscription models have been DOA. TVoIP allows content providers to enter the mobile space with essentially zero capex and variable opex. They only pay for the bandwidth consumed as the audience grows. It will be years before IP networks (Wimax or LTE) can make the TV anywhere promise. But Wifi and 3G offer plenty of coverage for plenty people today. I have another issue when mobile TV finally arrives....and can be viewed in high speed vehicles. Will everyone be watching TV on their mobile while driving on the Interstate? No but lots will and the accident count is going to soar. It will make the problem of distracted drivers we have today pale in comparison. It’s clear that TVoIP (TV over IP) is the way forward for mobile TV. The audiences for the various proprietary OTA-handset solutions are too fragmented and too small for advertisers to make the effort. PPV and subscription models have been DOA. TVoIP allows content providers to enter the mobile space with essentially zero capex and variable opex. They only pay for the bandwidth consumed as the audience grows. It will be years before IP networks (Wimax or LTE) can make the TV anywhere promise. But Wifi and 3G offer plenty of coverage for plenty people today.

I have another issue when mobile TV finally arrives….and can be viewed in high speed vehicles. Will everyone be watching TV on their mobile while driving on the Interstate? No but lots will and the accident count is going to soar. It will make the problem of distracted drivers we have today pale in comparison.

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