AT&T looks to challenge Verizon Wireless in Mobile TV business. AT&T plans on finally launching their Mobile TV service in May, after a delay in the original launching.
AT&T will have its Mobile TV provided by the same company as Verizon which is Qualcomm MediaFLO USA. MediaFLO service is made up of eight channels which include: ESPN mobile TV, CBS mobile, Comedy Central, NBC 2GO, NBC News2Go, FOX Mobile, Nickelodeon, and MTV. Also with the AT&T service there will be 2 channels that will only be provided by their service. AT&T will offer this Mobile TC service on their Vu phone and Access phone at first but will branch it out to other phones over time.
While the market for Mobile TV will become bigger soon with this introduction of AT&T’s services, there are still some questions about consumer demand for this service. Analysts believe Mobile TV is taking longer to catch on with consumers because the lack of coverage and service for the whole country and the fact there are not many phones that have support this service.
In my personal opinion I think Mobile TV will take off more when there are great devices to support the service. I think it will work especially in the fact of sporting events being broadcasted to mobile devices. If we compare it to the sensation that is the internet with it being an alternative to watch shows, movies, sporting events and extra, I believe Mobile TV will take off somewhat like internet viewing of TV shows and more. But I don’t necessarily think it will be as big of a deal as on the internet because I believe people will not necessarily want to watch something on small screens a lot so it will not be as big as viewing TV shows and other events on the internet.