Verizon Wireless has launched a mobile TV Service making the company the first US carrier to deliver a service that streams television to mobile phone using MediaFLO’s network; this move came despite RCB Capital Markets findings that about 75% had no interest in watching TV on a mobile phone.

The VCast Mobile TV service is now live in 20 select markets with full-length programs and picture quality similar to regular TV.

The company kicks off offering eight channels including a combination of simulcast time-shifted broadcast TV programming and ‘Golden Oldies’. Programming on the eight channels comes from CBS, Comedy Central, ESPN, Fox, MTV, NBC News, NBC Entertainment, and Nickelodeon. MediaFLO however has a capacity of 20 channels.

Customers can today sign up for V Cast Mobile TV service in one of three flavors – a limited package, which gives you four channels for $13 per month, a basic package that offers all eight channels for $15, and a select package that offers all eight channels, plus unlimited access to the mobile Web and Verizon’s V Cast Video service, for $25.

Video and music services have been eye to boost revenue as the price falls for traditional cell phone calls.

But due to high prices, limited content selections and inferior output display compared with television at home, cell phone video services have been slow to take off.

Jeffrey Nelson, executive director of corporate communications at Verizon Wireless told Reuters, “the picture quality of the new service will be on a par with home TV and roughly twice as clear as Verizon Wireless’s existing Vcast video serviced”.

“Television has revolutionized our culture,” Jeffrey Nelson, told TechNewsWorld. “Wireless phones have become an integral part of our everyday lives, and V Cast Mobile TV represents the convergence of these two.”

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Entry was posted on Friday, March 2nd, 2007 at 3:53 am under Online video, Technology.

Read more entries by Ruben Francia.
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