@ CES: Mobile TV Will Likely Be Free, But No Retail Or Carrier Partnerships Announced

imageIn a very poorly run press conference this morning (picture about 30 executives up on a stage, but no introductions as to who they were or where they work), the Open Mobile Video Coalition gave an update on the state of broadcast mobile TV. What I gathered from the presentation is that when it gets here, mobile TV services likely won’t cost consumers anything. But the devices probably won’t be available to consumers for some time and details are still vague on how it will get to market, with negotiations with retailers and carriers ongoing. The Q&A was almost useless (remember we were never told who the people were answering the questions, and they never identified themselves). But in a brief interview following the event, I was able to get more information from ION Media Networks’ Chairman and CEO Brandon Burgess, who is also OMVC President. One other problem: Though a few devices were up and running over in the corner, there were no demonstrations on how mobile DTV worked, so the video didn’t come out well. (I’ll try to get video from a booth and upload it later.)

Rolling implementation: Burgess said that likely a few test markets will be chosen to roll out first before going live in the 63 markets, and that by the third or fourth quarter, the technology will be up in place and functioning. Broadcasters won’t even be able to get their hands on the technology for another 60 days. “My company would start next week if we could.”

More after the jump

First markets: Burgess said it makes a lot of sense for Washington, D.C., to be the first market for political reasons since so much news will be coming out of the new administration. From there, he said it would be logical to roll out on the East coast first, so that broadcasters could concentrate their marketing efforts.

Carrier relationships: One of the biggest hurdles for the technology is the business model — how will it be distributed? AT&T (NYSE: T) and Verizon Wireless (NYSE: VZ) already have relationships with Qualcomm’s MediaFLO division, which is building its own nationwide broadcast TV network. Burgess said there’s still ongoing negotiations, however, by the time they launch he says the coalition will have at least one carrier partner. Of course, there’s a big benefit to a carrier choosing broadcast DTV, over streaming video because it doesn’t use their network. The same benefit comes with MediaFLO, however, MediaFLO doesn’t have the local content in each individual market, like broadcasters do.

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