Comments on: AT&T Taps Qualcomm for mobile TV http://gigaom.com/2007/02/12/att-goes-mediaflo/ Tracking the Internet Evolution Sun, 07 Sep 2008 11:38:33 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=MU hourly 1 By: GigaOM » Top 5 Trends to Expect at CTIA http://gigaom.com/2007/02/12/att-goes-mediaflo/#comment-87863 GigaOM » Top 5 Trends to Expect at CTIA Mon, 26 Mar 2007 11:13:58 +0000 http://gigaom.wordpress.com/2007/02/12/att-goes-mediaflo/#comment-87863 <p>[...] Wireless is the first US carrier to sell the service, and Cingular will follow soon. Hopefully AT&T COO Randall Stephenson will give us an update on the status of the rollout. [...]</p> [...] Wireless is the first US carrier to sell the service, and Cingular will follow soon. Hopefully AT&T COO Randall Stephenson will give us an update on the status of the rollout. [...]

]]> By: Jacomo http://gigaom.com/2007/02/12/att-goes-mediaflo/#comment-87862 Jacomo Wed, 14 Feb 2007 13:11:25 +0000 http://gigaom.wordpress.com/2007/02/12/att-goes-mediaflo/#comment-87862 <p>Both Carriers realize that they would be shut out of the Data (Broadcast) and Video (TV) markets by WiMAX/WiFi if they did not move these bandwidth hogs off of their Narrowband Cell nets onto a separate service. Now they can focus on making their Cell Voice service the best it can be and let the consumer decide which INTERACTIVE (2 Way) Data service they want to use: WiFi/WiMAX or CellNarrowband Data</p> Both Carriers realize that they would be shut out of the Data (Broadcast) and Video (TV) markets by WiMAX/WiFi if they did not move these bandwidth hogs off of their Narrowband Cell nets onto a separate service. Now they can focus on making their Cell Voice service the best it can be and let the consumer decide which INTERACTIVE (2 Way) Data service they want to use: WiFi/WiMAX or CellNarrowband Data

]]> By: john w http://gigaom.com/2007/02/12/att-goes-mediaflo/#comment-87859 john w Wed, 14 Feb 2007 04:00:59 +0000 http://gigaom.wordpress.com/2007/02/12/att-goes-mediaflo/#comment-87859 <p>alan p, MediaFLO provides twice as many channels per swath of spectrum (or twice as many subscribers per transmitter), much better video quality and significantly faster channel changing time than DVB-H, and yet you doubt that technology is the real reason? Qualcomm has built a much, much better mousetrap. DVB-H will not get anyone excited about mobile TV. MediaFLO is the real deal. I suspect that had something to do with the decision.</p> alan p, MediaFLO provides twice as many channels per swath of spectrum (or twice as many subscribers per transmitter), much better video quality and significantly faster channel changing time than DVB-H, and yet you doubt that technology is the real reason? Qualcomm has built a much, much better mousetrap. DVB-H will not get anyone excited about mobile TV. MediaFLO is the real deal. I suspect that had something to do with the decision.

]]> By: Katie Fehrenbacher http://gigaom.com/2007/02/12/att-goes-mediaflo/#comment-87861 Katie Fehrenbacher Wed, 14 Feb 2007 03:29:01 +0000 http://gigaom.wordpress.com/2007/02/12/att-goes-mediaflo/#comment-87861 <p>A reader points to the FLO Forum as an example of why MediaFLO is not an entirely closed ecosystem. The FLO Forum says it has submitted its FLO Transport Specification to the TIA, which it calls "a key next step in standardization of the complete FLO protocol stack." The member list includes a barebones list of silicon companies like Newport Media.</p> <p>So that partly answers your question Charlie, some chip companies on the list, but a lot of absent ones.</p> A reader points to the FLO Forum as an example of why MediaFLO is not an entirely closed ecosystem. The FLO Forum says it has submitted its FLO Transport Specification to the TIA, which it calls “a key next step in standardization of the complete FLO protocol stack.” The member list includes a barebones list of silicon companies like Newport Media.

So that partly answers your question Charlie, some chip companies on the list, but a lot of absent ones.

]]> By: alan p http://gigaom.com/2007/02/12/att-goes-mediaflo/#comment-87860 alan p Tue, 13 Feb 2007 20:12:32 +0000 http://gigaom.wordpress.com/2007/02/12/att-goes-mediaflo/#comment-87860 <p>I doubt the technology is the real reason…I suspect your comments about rollout needs and Qualcomm's desire to retain US dominance are more close to the mark</p> I doubt the technology is the real reason…I suspect your comments about rollout needs and Qualcomm’s desire to retain US dominance are more close to the mark

]]> By: Jesse Kopelman http://gigaom.com/2007/02/12/att-goes-mediaflo/#comment-87856 Jesse Kopelman Mon, 12 Feb 2007 22:33:55 +0000 http://gigaom.wordpress.com/2007/02/12/att-goes-mediaflo/#comment-87856 <p>I wonder if AT&T is going to have trouble getting devices that support UMTS and MediaFlo. Given that Qualcomm seems highly unlikely to get MediaFlo into a lot of the GSM dominated markets, how will handset vendors get good economies of scale in UMTS + MediaFlo device? The main thing that DVB-H had going for it was really cheap handsets. It seems a strange change of direction for a company that went GSM over CDMA in order to get cheaper handsets to all of sudden start worrying about which was the superior technology. Perhaps, Qualcomm building its own MediaFlo network has allowed them to make an offer who's financial incentives were more about content than device?</p> I wonder if AT&T is going to have trouble getting devices that support UMTS and MediaFlo. Given that Qualcomm seems highly unlikely to get MediaFlo into a lot of the GSM dominated markets, how will handset vendors get good economies of scale in UMTS + MediaFlo device? The main thing that DVB-H had going for it was really cheap handsets. It seems a strange change of direction for a company that went GSM over CDMA in order to get cheaper handsets to all of sudden start worrying about which was the superior technology. Perhaps, Qualcomm building its own MediaFlo network has allowed them to make an offer who’s financial incentives were more about content than device?

]]> By: Jesse Kopelman http://gigaom.com/2007/02/12/att-goes-mediaflo/#comment-87858 Jesse Kopelman Mon, 12 Feb 2007 22:25:14 +0000 http://gigaom.wordpress.com/2007/02/12/att-goes-mediaflo/#comment-87858 <p>Charlie, I would imagine the answer to your NFL question is about content redistribution deals the NFL cuts. I had some contact with a racetrack wanting to do this sort of thing with WiFi, but there was a big concern about legal obligation with NASCAR.</p> Charlie, I would imagine the answer to your NFL question is about content redistribution deals the NFL cuts. I had some contact with a racetrack wanting to do this sort of thing with WiFi, but there was a big concern about legal obligation with NASCAR.

]]> By: Katie Fehrenbacher http://gigaom.com/2007/02/12/att-goes-mediaflo/#comment-87857 Katie Fehrenbacher Mon, 12 Feb 2007 20:56:01 +0000 http://gigaom.wordpress.com/2007/02/12/att-goes-mediaflo/#comment-87857 <p>Charlie, Thanks, good point. I'm looking into and asking some of the chip companies -- will update it.</p> Charlie, Thanks, good point. I’m looking into and asking some of the chip companies — will update it.

]]> By: Charlie Sierra http://gigaom.com/2007/02/12/att-goes-mediaflo/#comment-87855 Charlie Sierra Mon, 12 Feb 2007 18:03:03 +0000 http://gigaom.wordpress.com/2007/02/12/att-goes-mediaflo/#comment-87855 <p>I dont follow wireless as much as I used to, but Katie could answer as to the availability of any non-Qualcomm chipsets that support MediaFLO? TI, Broadcom? Does this ATT deal mean Qualcomm has the super highend phone market wrapped up?</p> <p>Additionally, Sextel has the FanView device for their NASCAR sponsorship deal, which could easily be acommplished via MediaFLO, and adapted to the Big 4 sports, or any sports event for that matter. So how does winning the Cingular one-way video business affect the balance of power and economics, and perhaps most importantly the speed of rolling out these services? </p> <p>If I have to pay nearly $500 for 4 people to attend one NFL game, why cant I watch the replays on demand on my phone while in the stadium, or waiting in line for more reasonably priced food?</p> I dont follow wireless as much as I used to, but Katie could answer as to the availability of any non-Qualcomm chipsets that support MediaFLO? TI, Broadcom? Does this ATT deal mean Qualcomm has the super highend phone market wrapped up?

Additionally, Sextel has the FanView device for their NASCAR sponsorship deal, which could easily be acommplished via MediaFLO, and adapted to the Big 4 sports, or any sports event for that matter. So how does winning the Cingular one-way video business affect the balance of power and economics, and perhaps most importantly the speed of rolling out these services?

If I have to pay nearly $500 for 4 people to attend one NFL game, why cant I watch the replays on demand on my phone while in the stadium, or waiting in line for more reasonably priced food?

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