Verizon brings live TV to mobile phones

If you are a San Diegan, you can watch live TV right on your mobile phone from now on. How does that sound?

Verizon Wireless has come up with this service which helps you watch TV shows in real time in your mobile phone. Verizon uses Qualcomm’s MediaFlo technology to bring this service to your mobile phone. Incidentally, San Diego happens to be the 58th market to get Verizon’s V Cast Mobile TV service.

Verizon thinks it can attract a lot of subscribers to its live TV service as it offers a variety of networks like NBC, CBS, MTV, FOX, ESPN, and Nickelodeon for users to choose from. The service will cost you anywhere from $13 to $25 and it gives you the choice to watch live TV shows from all the aforementioned networks.

In my opinion, Verizon’s mobile TV service is good enough to attract some subscribers. I think it is way better than watching downloaded video clips on your mobile phone. It’s live TV and people can watch their favorite news channels, sports channels, finance news channels, and other channels on the move which could be really convenient. However, only four of Verizon’s phone models support this live TV service, which I think is a definite downside. You can’t expect everyone to own an LG Voyager, can you? On a side note, I think this move could actually revive the stock price of Qualcomm which has remained stagnant for quite some time now!

Most importantly, if you happen to live in San Diego, check out this service and let me know your thoughts.

Categories: Cell Phone Advertising, All things mobile phones, Mobile TV.

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NBC Universal enhances its mobile web presence

In a move to enhance its mobile web presence, NBC Universal has signed deals with Verizon Wireless, Research In Motion, and AT&T. So, from now on, mobile phone users will be able to access NBC Universal content through 60 WAP sites that cover a wide range of brands including NBC, NBC Sports, USA Network, Sci Fi Channel, Bravo, MSNBC, Astrology.com, Universal Pictures, and CNBC.

All these mobile sites from NBCU will be available on the application sites of Verizon Wireless, Research In Motion, and AT&T and mobile users can access these sites via their carriers’ menus. NBCU believes this move will drive a lot of traffic to its ad-funded mobile websites.

NBCU has joined hands with JumpTap, a leading mobile advertising company, to take care of its ad network. JumpTap will be in charge of mobile advertising campaigns on all the WAP sites under the NBCU network.

NBC Universal has been eyeing the mobile web market for quite some time now and by joining hands with such big names in the market, it has laid the foundation pretty well. It is also worth remembering that NBCU signed a similar deal with Alltel Wireless last year.

Categories: Cell Phone Advertising, All things mobile phones, Mobile Web.

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Mobile advertising discussion at the World Economic Forum - II

I hope some of you know that mobile advertising and mobile technology were among the most discussed topics in the World Economic Forum in Davos. Among the points discussed, two things caught my attention.

First one being the statement made by the CEO of China Mobile, in which he said that people actually consider mobile phone as their extension and they use it continuously, day in and day out, to reach out their near and dear ones. He also went on to add that “if someone doesn’t have a mobile phone they will lack basic functions of what it is to be human.” This is one reason why I feel world will soon wake up to the power and potential of mobile advertising. When 2/3rd of the world goes mobile and feels it’s a part of their life, you have no choice but to devise a way to reach them via their mobile phones.

The second one is the point made by Zucker from NBC. He said that the mobile advertising market, especially in the U.S., is fragmented and it’s the reason why it hasn’t reached a point where it could be considered a mainstream advertising medium, at least right now. He said that mobile content providers are only paid 10% of the revenue and the rest goes to the carriers, which he thought was atrocious. This disparity makes it tougher for content providers and carriers to get along and improve the mobile advertising sector.

I think that’s quite a revelation. But like any other industry, it’ll be tough to get going in the initial stage for mobile advertising. One hopes content providers and carriers soon realize that it’s a symbiotic relationship and one cannot exist without the other.

Categories: Cell Phone Advertising.

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