Verizon Wireless rolls out live TV on mobile phones

To combat against its rivals in a next generation of mobile technology war, Verizon Wireless on Thursday launched its weapon, a broadcast TV service for cell phones, in about 20 select markets, that would enable cell-phone users watch programming from the likes of Comedy Central, Fox, and MTV right on their handsets.

The service, dubbed V Cast Mobile TV, according to the Basking Ridge, New Jersey based wireless service provider, is the country's first commercial mobile television service that provides full-length programs and picture quality similar to regular TV.

Verizon Wireless, a joint venture of Verizon Communications and Vodafone Group PLC, has initially launched the V Cast TV services in twenty Midwestern and Western markets, including Tucson, Arizona; Palm Springs, California; Colorado Springs and Denver, Colo.; Jacksonville, Florida; Chicago; Wichita, Kansas; New Orleans; Minneapolis-St. Paul; Kansas City and St. Louis, Miss.; Omaha-Lincoln, Nebraska; Las Vegas; Albuquerue-Sante Fe region of New Mexico; Portland, Ore.; Dallas-Fort Worth; Salt Lake City, Utah; Norfolk-Richmond, Virginia; and Seattle and Spokane, Washington.

The reason behind launching the service initially in some selected markets is reportedly because the service can’t interfere with the signals of broadcasters already using that band.

Verizon Wireless has chosen Qualcomm’s MediaFLO network to transmit its mobile TV service. Priced in two main packages, $15 per month for the Mobile TV service or $25 per month with a bundled package that will include Verizon V CAST Video and Mobile Web, the V CAST Mobile TV service will come up with a lineup of eight leading networks.

The eight 24-hour channels broadcasting full-length TV shows to mobile phones 24 hours a day and featuring live and time-shifted content are CBS Mobile, Comedy Central, ESPN, Fox Mobile, MTV, NBC 2Go, NBC News 2Go and Nickelodeon.

According to Verizon Wireless spokesman Jeffrey Nelson, although Samsung Electronics Co. and LG Electronics Co. have both been tapped as handset providers for the mobile TV service, still the first markets will roll out with the Samsung SCH-u620 device that costs $200 without signing a new Verizon service contract, or $50 less with a new commitment, with the LG VX9400 following in the coming weeks.

Verizon Wireless is not alone pushing mobile services such as video and music to boost revenue as the price falls for traditional mobile phone calls, instead its rivals like AT&T Inc.'s Cingular Wireless and Modeo, a subsidiary of Crown Castle International also announcing similar services.

AT&T will launch its own MediaFlo TV service also using Qualcomm’s MediaFLO network later in the year, while Modeo is also building a network dedicated to mobile television, but it has yet to name any wireless providers to carry its service, and is carrying out trials of the service in New York with six TV channels.

Shares of Verizon Communications fell $0.29 to $37.11 in recent trading.