Qualcomm’s First Deal: Verizon Comes On For Mobile TV Streaming

This is as big as it comes in mobile TV: Qualcomm has signed with Verizon Wireless to launch a streaming mobile TV service next year, nixing hopes of a Sprint-Nextel deal for now (We reported on the Qualcomm-Sprint possibility from CTIA earlier this year).

It seems as if there was some major wheeling-dealing behind the scenes in this deal: there were reports and clues that Verizon was going to adopt the DVB-H standard, using towers from Crown Castle (see related links below) and that Sprint-Nextel would sign up with Qualcomm for its MediaFlo technology…now it seems to have reversed.

Verizon will be the first US operator to offer the service when it is commercially available. It will launch in half the markets Verizon covers. This will complement Verizon’s already existing high-speed video V-Cast service…

This opens the tantilizing possibility that Vodafone might use MediaFLO as well, since it is a part owner of Verizon Wireless.

On the handset side, this means that Verizon will have to roll out new handsets which are capable of receiving TV transmission using MediaFlo tech…in its release, it says that it will launch MediaFlo-enabled EV-DO handsets.

Related stories:

Is Sprint-Nextel Going With MediaFlo?

Verizon Wireless Seen Offering TV Via Crown Castle

The MediaFlo Buzz: Sprint-Nextel Clues

@ CTIA: The MediaFLO Phone From Qualcomm

Qualcomm Vs Nokia in Mobile TV War

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