MobiTV brings Live TV to your PCS Phone

Berkeley, California -- MobiTV, the world’s first live streaming television content service delivered to mobile phones, launches today as part of PCS Vision services from Sprint. The subscription service, developed and operated by Idetic, Inc., is now available as a J2ME-download to select PCS Vision Phones. MobiTV brings a stream of television content and features such as on/off, volume and channel changing to PCS Phones. It gives users easy, on-the-go access to visual and real-time information and entertainment from a mobile phone, nationwide.

When PCS Vision launched in August of 2002, Sprint moved the text-based mobile Web to full-color sites and graphics and introduced the PCS Vision phone as the third screen for customers to access news and entertainment - in addition to the Internet and TV. Earlier this year, Sprint advanced to downloadable applications with streaming audio and slide-show visuals to provide a complete news and entertainment experience that customers could see and hear. MobiTV now represents the next step in technology for offering nationwide, streaming audio and visual news, information and entertainment through a PCS Vision Phone.

MobiTV features some of the most popular TV channels: MSNBC, CNBC, Discovery Channel, The Learning Channel, CSTV: College Sports Television, California Music Channel, CMC Beat Lounge, CMC-USA, Independent Music Network, CNET, Discovery Kids, ToonWorld TV Classics and Discovery en Español are all part of the initial package. More channels will be added to the service over the coming months.

For $9.99 per month, PCS Vision customers can see and hear news coverage of events as they unfold; get up-to-the-minute sports scores and see the highlights; and watch and hear new music videos anywhere on the enhanced Sprint Nationwide PCS Network.

"MobiTV really is live TV content streamed real-time to select PCS Vision phones, not pre-canned clips or slide shows. The real breakthrough here is that for the first time, people can watch real-time television content on their mobile phone anywhere on the Sprint Nationwide Network," said Dr. Phillip Alvelda, CEO at Idetic, Inc. "We’re just feeding a global appetite for news and information on the go that’s fueled by more than 1.2 billion mobile phone users worldwide," continued Dr. Alvelda.

"With MobiTV, Sprint is letting wireless customers turn on and tune in to real-time television content directly on their handset. Now, in addition to the Internet and TV, customers’ PCS Phones become a ‘third screen’ on which they can watch real-time television content from their favorite providers," said Jeff Hallock, assistant vice president of consumer products and services for Sprint.

MobiTV is available through PCS Vision from Sprint, and is downloadable on select PCS Vision handsets through Downloads/Applications/Get New.

At the end of 3Q03, there were nearly 2.7 million PCS Vision subscribers nationwide. PCS Vision from Sprint includes services that allow customers to take and receive pictures from select PCS Phones; browse the Internet at speeds faster than most dial-up connections; check personal and corporate e-mail; watch clips and stream audio for news and music; download polyphonic, animated and voice ringers, and full-color, graphically-rich games and screen savers, all on the enhanced Nationwide PCS Network.

PCS Vision is available for $15 a month. This includes unlimited access to the PCS Vision Web, unlimited text messaging and $10 per month in premium content including games, ringers and screensavers, and applications such as MobiTV.

MobiTV channels:

California Music Channel
California Music Channel plays pop music videos. Founded in 1982, CMC originates from San Francisco and is "In the Air, Everywhere."

CMC Beat Lounge
CMC Beat Lounge brings you the hottest mix of Hip Hop and R&B music videos.

CMC-USA
CMC-USA features personal DJs, viewer requests and America’s favorite country music videos.

CNET
CNET highlights the latest products, provides tutorials on how to get more from your gadgets, and shows unbiased video product reviews.

CSTV: College Sports Television
College Sports Television televises regular season and championship event coverage in more than 25 college sports, including football, basketball, baseball, hockey and soccer.

Discovery Channel
The Discovery Channel is the United States’ largest cable television network and the nation’s premier provider of real-world entertainment.

Discovery en Español
Discovery en Español offers Spanish-speaking audiences of all ages the best in entertainment including nature, science and technology, history and world exploration, and children’s programming.

Discovery Kids
Discovery Kids is the only place where kids ages 6-14 can explore the real world - from shark-infested waters to spaces stations.

Independent Music Network
IMNTV is the world’s first and only International Music Video programming, 24/7, featuring independent artists of all genres in a cutting-edge, eclectic format.

The Learning Channel
Using its "life unscripted" approach to storytelling, TLC provides top-rated factual programming to more than 93 million homes in North America.

ToonWorld TV Classics
Re-live the golden era of television cartoons with ToonWorld TV Classics.

Via

Fabrizio Pilato