Who would want to watch TV on a cell phone? That depends on who — or perhaps where — you ask.
Researcher InsightExpress last year surveyed 1,000 U.S. users about their interest in mobile TV. A resounding three-quarters of the respondents said they weren’t interested in watching TV programs on a handheld device.
But at the same time, Finnish telecommunications provider Nokia announced that pilot tests of its broadcast mobile television services among consumers in Finland, the United Kingdom, Spain, and France revealed a clear demand for such services. In the UK alone, 76% of participants said they would sign up for the service within a year.
And that’s pretty much where things stand today. Mobile TV continues to attract passionate advocates, even as many consumers scoff and say the whole idea is much ado about nothing. But one thing’s certain: new mobile TV services show no sign of slowing down — either in the U.S. or in Europe.
Consider some recent activity stateside. In January, Verizon Wireless, the largest mobile carrier in the U.S., launched a broadcast TV service for cell phones in about 20 markets. Verizon will charge $15 to $25 per month for the initial lineup from eight leading networks, including NBC News, CNN, Fox Sports, and ESPN. Delivered over Qualcomm’s MediaFlo wireless network, Verizon’s V Cast Mobile TV requires a new handset capable of receiving the broadcast signal in addition to the regular cellular signal for phone calls and mobile Internet access.
Will these services attract a significant number of viewers? It’s too early to say. What has been attracting plenty of media attention is the new generation of mobile TV phones. For example, Nokia made headlines earlier this year when it introduced the N77 phone, which features a 2.4-inch-wide, 16-milllion-
So there you have it. Whether or not we’re ready for it,TV on a cell phone is here. Of course, whether consumers find the content compelling is another question altogether. For that, stay tuned.
