So this is official (read the post below too) : Sprint Nextel has tied up with cable companies Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Cox Communications and Advance/Newhouse Communications to form a wireless joint venture on wireless-wireline convergence, and mobile services. The venture has the potential to serve approximately 75 million homes currently passed by the cable companies.
The joint venture, which is mutually exclusive for three years and has a 20-year term, calls for a combined initial financial commitment of $200 million, $100 million of which will be committed by Sprint and $100 million of which will be committed collectively by the cable companies. The investment is expected to be used to fund the development of the converged services, national marketing initiatives and back office integration. The companies are mulling additional participation from other cable companies.
The gist of it:
— the companies will develop and introduce new co-branded wireless services and devices that integrate cable and wireless services all on a single serviec and device.
— These will be sold through a combination of 1,600 Sprint retail stores, cable retail outlets and other third-party distributors, including thousands of RadioShack stores.
— Customers using these services will be able to seamlessly interface between e-mail, home and mobile voicemail, DVRs and photo programs…a demo of these services is here
What these converged services will allow:
— Use interactive features like remotely programming their home DVRs
— Have a single voice mailbox that serves both the home and the wireless phone
— Calling plans which allow for unlimited calls between the home and the wireless device
— Surf the Internet using their cable Internet portal
— Send and receive e-mail from their cable high-speed Internet account
— Access content like streaming television programming, music, video clips, games and pre-recorded DVR programs
A lot of other details still unclear, but will emerge soon as these servies roll out…the CEOS of the companies involve will have a press conference today at 1 PM EST, which will be webcast live online here
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