BBC launches 24-hour live TV streaming mobile service and new mobile website

The BBC has debuted its 24-hour live television streaming website for mobile devices. The service currently has eight channels, including five general news streams, one BBC Parliament stream, and CBBC and CBeebies children's programming.

The video displays at 176 x 144 pixels on WiFi-enabled devices. The service will not work over-the-air, and it is only available for U.K. residents. Users can see the streaming video service by visiting http://www.bbc.co.uk/mobile/live/tv/.

The news organization has also launched its BBC Mobile homepage, which gives users customization options such as a WAP version, the choice of more images and graphics, or the full-desktop version of the website. Users can view the news site at bbc.co.uk/mobile.

GO211.com Selects Azuki Systems to Power Live Streaming via Mobile

Azuki Premiers Feature-Rich Mobile Service for GO211.com at This Week's US Open Snowboarding Championships at Stratton Mountain

ACTON, MA - Azuki Systems, Inc., an innovator powering a new generation of mobile media, today announced that it has been selected to provide a full-featured mobile service by GO211.com, the premier provider of online video and community for action sports fans and competitors. Azuki will provide a mobile extension of GO211.com's popular Web site with rich community, blogging and video features, including live streaming of GO211.com events. GO211.com will leverage Azuki's technology to bring snackable, personalized content and a full complement of socialization features to mobile users. GO211.com's mobile site (GO211.mobi) will provide live video streams from the Burton US Open Snowboarding Championships at Stratton Mountain in Vermont beginning Saturday.

"Azuki's platform enables us to deliver live video streaming to mobile users just in time for this week's US Open Snowboarding Championships," GO211.com's CEO Sean Aruda said. "The social features in our new mobile site, including sharing and ratings, will help us build a stronger community for our users. Azuki's cutting edge technology is quickly moving us forward to deliver the rich, interactive mobile experience our users are looking for."

GO211.com's action sports community includes athletes and enthusiasts from snowboarding, skateboarding, surfing and BMX, and is the premier site for live webcasts of major alternative sports events from around the world.

"Our MashMedia platform enables GO211.com to deliver a feature-rich mobile Web site full of interactive, snackable content that will engage its action sports community," Azuki CEO Jim Ricotta said. "Azuki believes firmly in the importance of optimizing and extending content and community for mobile users, and being selected by a leading online brand such as GO211.com is a great endorsement of our technology strategy."

About GO211.com

GO211.com is the leading community and video site for lifestyle sports created by and for action sports athletes and enthusiasts. GO211.com is home to the exclusive live webcasts of the BGOS (Burton Global Open Series), including the Burton US Open. It's the place to hang with the pros and friends to get behind-the-scenes video, blogs, photos, webcasts and podcasts from featured contributors along with other action sports fans. GO211.com offers a broad range of exclusive content submitted directly from the athletes.

About Azuki Systems

Azuki Systems is powering a new generation of mobile media. Azuki offers a software service for media companies to deliver and monetize rich, interactive mobile websites. With Azuki, content providers scale on proven infrastructure and extend desktop services seamlessly across the mobile web while their users enjoy unique interactive video features and highly personalized social web experiences across the broadest possible spectrum of devices. Based in Acton, Mass., Azuki is led by an executive team that has built some of the communications industry's most successful companies and has a team of over 35 employees. For additional information, please visit www.azukisystems.com or call 1-978-844-5100.

Arthur D. Little Projects Worldwide Mobile TV Subscribers to Increase From 40 to 140 Million by 2011

• Broadcast mobile TV has disappointed so far: while 40 million users worldwide watch mobile TV, this is only about 1% of mobile phone users. Additionally, many services are offered free of charge or as part of a high value service package so that direct revenues generated by broadcast mobile TV are low
• But broadcast mobile TV can help mobile operators to offset the commoditization of voice and data access services. The industry is continuing to improve broadcast mobile TV business models and work on launching next generation satellite/terrestrial mobile TV networks
• Arthur D. Little therefore expects subscriber figures to increase to about 140 million by 2011.

VIENNA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Approximately 40 million users watch mobile TV based on broadcast networks, in addition to those watching mobile TV streams via 3G networks – but this is well below initial projections and only about 1% of all mobile phone users. Even the business models in markets with sizeable numbers of broadcast mobile TV subscribers - such as Japan with 18 million, South Korea with 17 million or Italy with well over 1 million - have not yet become viable commercial success stories. However, mobile operators remain interested in promoting the service as it can support customer acquisition and retention, and can be used to promote high value "flat-rate packages".

Arthur D. Little's new report, “Mobile TV – Tuning in or switching off?” investigates the status of broadcast mobile TV uptake worldwide and identifies actions that key players need to take to improve the prospects of broadcast mobile TV businesses.

How to improve the broadcast mobile TV business?

Arthur D. Little proposes four ways to improve mobile TV business models:

• Regulators need to support the set-up and potential success of emerging mobile TV businesses
  
  Benchmarks show that national telecommunication and media authorities play a fundamental role in supporting or hindering the success of broadcast mobile TV. They need to be aware that their tender processes significantly affect the way that players co-operate along the broadcast mobile TV value chain. In addition, they should adopt a moderator role to facilitate negotiations between the mobile operators, terrestrial network operators and content providers which otherwise compete in the respective country market.
• All key players need to work on lowering the costs of delivering broadcast mobile TV services
  
  The profit potential from broadcast mobile TV services for mobile operators is low. In an exemplary country market, mobile operators can only generate 1 Euro profit per mobile TV subscriber – under the condition that a critical mass of 10% of all mobile phone users in the market subscribe to broadcast mobile TV services at a monthly fee of 6 Euro. Therefore, any plans for new broadcast mobile TV businesses must ask the question: "How to bring down the three key cost drivers: network roll-out outs, incremental handset subsidies and content costs?" The report suggests combining existing mobile networks with broadcast mobile TV networks and financing the content costs partially with advertising.

• The industry needs to improve the service and price attractiveness of broadcast mobile TV to end-users
  
  The price, usability and attractiveness of broadcast mobile TV services need to be continuously improved, for example, by providing improved outdoor and indoor network coverage and improving the TV channel bouquet.
  
  Mobile users can already choose from various mobile TV offers - they can selectively snack on mobile TV via 3G streaming, download TV clips from Youtube, or, in some markets, watch free to air mobile TV via DVB-T. As such, broadcast mobile TV services need to offer a more superior user experience in order to motivate users to pay monthly subscription fees for the right to watch 10-15 TV channels, many of which they receive anyways at home," Karim Taga co-author of the report and Director at Arthur D. Little’s Telecoms Information Media & Electronics (TIME) Practice.

• Mobile operators need to factor in indirect benefits from offering broadcast mobile TV
  
  Mobile operators can use broadcast mobile TV services to differentiate their services, increase customer loyalty or offload traffic from 3G streaming TV services.
  
  "Mobile TV is here to stay as an important contributor to offset the commoditization of mobile voice services and accelerate the convergence of the media and telecommunication industries," says Karim Taga co-author of the report and Director at Arthur D. Little's Telecoms Information Media & Electronics (TIME) Practice.

What's the future of broadcast mobile TV?

Broadcast mobile TV will experience continuous, but slower than previously expected subscriber uptake. However, the prospect of establishing profitable, new broadcast mobile TV business models remains and indirect benefits further motivate the industry to push the service. And, in spite of the current recession, consortia such as China Satellite Broadcasting Corporation or Satellite2mobile, based in Dubai, have advanced plans to launch next generation hybrid satellite/terrestrial mobile TV networks. Once these are launched and reach critical subscriber mass, they will lead to a step-change in the nascent broadcast mobile TV business.

The development in China indicates that Asia may remain the key world region for mobile TV. The national broadcast mobile TV service already has 1.2 million subscribers. The planned launch of the satellite platform and the fact that over 200 types of CMMB-enabled mobile devices are available could lead to rapid mass adoption of mobile TV.

Arthur D. Little expects the number of broadcast mobile TV subscribers to increase from 40 to 140 million users by 2011 – and recommends that executives stay tuned rather than switch off on the topic.

“Mobile TV – Tuning in or Switching-off?" is now available for download at www.adl.com/mobiletv

About Arthur D. Little

Arthur D. Little has supported clients in a wide range of mobile TV related projects such as license bid support, tender support and mobile TV strategy definition projects worldwide.

Founded in 1886, Arthur D. Little is a global leader in management consultancy, linking strategy, innovation and technology with deep industry knowledge. We offer our clients sustainable solutions to their most complex business problems. Arthur D. Little has a collaborative client engagement style, exceptional people and a firm-wide commitment to quality and integrity. The firm has over 30 offices worldwide. With its partner Altran Technologies, Arthur D. Little has access to a network of over 16,000 professionals. Arthur D. Little is proud to serve many of the Fortune 100 companies globally, in addition to many other leading firms and public sector organizations. For further information please visit www.adl.com.

Further information from:

Karim Taga (taga.karim@adlittle.com) and Christian Niegel (niegel.christian@adlittle.com)
Arthur D. Little’s Telecoms Information Media & Electronics (TIME) Practice

MobiTV and CBS Mobile Bring Popular Primetime Shows to Mobile Users

MobiTV delivers full-length episodes of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Numb3rs and more over mobile networks

EMERYVILLE, Calif., Jan. 6 /PRNewswire/ -- MobiTV and CBS Mobile are bringing the most popular CBS television shows to the mobile phone. MobiTV now delivers full-length episodes and clips from CBS Mobile, a channel featuring primetime hits like "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," "Numb3rs," "CSI: NY," and "The Young and the Restless." Viewers will also be able to access video on demand news, sports and comedy clips from CBS Mobile.

The new CBS primetime shows add to MobiTV's daily lineup of live TV, made-for-mobile and video on demand programming available to more than five million subscribers on over 350 mobile devices.

"Together with CBS Mobile, we are excited to give television viewers the chance to watch hit shows like 'CSI' and 'The Young and the Restless,' on their mobile phone," said Charlie Nooney, Chairman and CEO, MobiTV. "With the addition of CBS content, MobiTV's subscribers have access to the most comprehensive mobile lineup of primetime TV, so that they never have to miss their favorite shows again."

Full episodes featured on CBS Mobile are available to MobiTV subscribers on AT&T Wireless and Sprint the day after broadcast, adding to MobiTV's lineup of more than 40 channels of content from partners including ABC, NBC, ESPN and Discovery Networks(TM).

"Partnering with MobiTV allows fans of our most popular shows to stay up to date on their favorite characters wherever they go," said Jeff Sellinger, Executive Vice President & General Manager, CBS Mobile. "This partnership further reflects our desire to provide CBS viewers with access to the shows they love, wherever they are, and extend our reach within the mobile universe."

About MobiTV

MobiTV (www.mobitv.com), the first to bring live TV to mobile devices, draws on its proven knowledge to continuously anticipate, develop and deliver a compelling mobile media experience to more than 5 million subscribers worldwide. MobiTV is shaping the mobile media landscape with a passion for delivering a compelling consumer experience.

Founded in 1999, MobiTV is a privately held company with headquarters in Emeryville, California.

For more information about MobiTV managed end to end services, hosted content delivery technology and solutions, please visit: www.mobitv.com/technology. To learn more about MobiTV mobile television products and services, go to: www.mobitv.com/gettv. To learn more about MobiTV mobile music products and services, go to: www.mobitv.com/getradio

About CBS Mobile

CBS Mobile, a division of CBS Interactive Inc., is charged with building CBS Corporation's wireless business across entertainment, sports and news for CBS, The CW, and CBS Paramount Television. As part of this mission, CBS Mobile offers consumers some of the most innovative and best-of wireless content available today, ranging from the nation's first mobile video alerts for CBS Mobile News, CBS Sports Mobile and entertainment properties, to some of the nation's largest mobile Web sites, made-for-mobile video on all major carriers, a 24/7 mobile television network, and partnerships with the world's more leading edge mobile technology and ad targeting companies.. CBS Corporation (NYSE: CBS.A) (NYSE: CBS) is the parent company of CBS Interactive, Inc.

MobiTV and the MobiTV logo are trademarks, service marks, and/or registered trademarks of MobiTV, Inc. in the United States and in other countries. All other trademarks, service marks, and product names used herein are the property of their respective owners.

Website: http://www.mobitv.com/

SlingPlayer Mobile for iPhone announced

Six months after announcing its intention to bring SlingPlayer to the iPhone 3G, Sling Media has another announcement to make--just not the one you're wishing for.

SlingPlayer Mobile for iPhone isn't ready yet, Sling said on Tuesday, but it is on its way.

Like SlingPlayer Mobile for Windows Mobile, Palm, Symbian, UIQ, and BlackBerry (beta) platforms, this iPhone version will let you access one or more Slingboxes from your mobile device, and watch your TV stations on-the-go. It will also be compatible with the iPod Touch.

You'll also be able to manage your DVR from the iPhone, and can synchronously add and remove favorite channels directly from the phone's interface--a first for the SlingPlayer Mobile line.

In our demo, the client streamed live, high-quality video of stations like MTV and TBS on both Wi-Fi and the iPhone's 3G network. Swiping the screen horizontally advances you through favorite stations, and flicking up and down rotates through all your home channels.

Sling Media says it will submit the file to the iTunes AppStore by the end of the first fiscal quarter. While Sling Media shared no firm price tag, it could mirror the $29.99 lifetime fee of SlingPlayer Mobile on other platforms.

Before getting too excited, just remember that Apple has been known to kill promising apps, ostensibly for the crime of a large data transfers. SlingPlayer Mobile for iPhone could suffer the same fate. Assuming it doesn't, the client still faces competition from Orb, whose full version, OrbLive, delivers live TV and media stored on your PC for $10.

i-Vision Launches Mobile TV Channel ‘Mobile Cheering Station’ with Beijing TV in August

BEIJING, July 31 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Beijing TV (“BTV”) announced its launch of mobile TV services at a press conference held on July 30, 2008, a week before the opening of the 2008 Beijing Olympics. As a technology platform and content partner, i-Vision helped demonstrate the good quality live streaming TV services onto mobile phones, and the collaborative channel with BTV, “Mobile Cheering Station -- Sui Shen Jia You Zhan” at the event.

i-Vision has focused on the development of mobile digital TV technology and interactive TV applications. The Company’s end-to-end mobile TV platform enables operators to drive revenues from interactive value added services and personalized advertising in addition to the traditional subscription business model. To celebrate the launch of mobile TV services, i-Vision collaborates with Beijing TV to offer a special “Mobile Cheering Station”, a channel specially produced for mobile TV that consists of continuous streaming of 2-3 minute clips of celebrity interviews, their cheering messages to the athletes, top brands’ events and behind-the-scenes party activities in the capital city during August. Beijing’s citizens and celebrities will get to participate and cheer for the China team and their favorite athletes on the new personal media platform. Mobile TV is also one of the ways to demonstrate how new technologies have made the Beijing Olympics stand out from the previous Games.

Unlike traditional media, new digital media such as mobile TV is still at its infant stage. Nevertheless, the interactive, accountable and personalized features of new media have already attracted much attention from innovative brand marketers. i-Vision partners with top brands including Olympics partners to pioneer the personal media platform of mobile TV on its “Mobile Cheering Station”, bringing an exciting new experience to the mobile TV users in Beijing at the country’s most exciting time.

About i-Vision

i-Vision China is a Beijing-based company that focuses on the development of mobile digital TV solutions and innovative interactive TV applications. In 2007, i-Vision received the "Red Herring Asia 100" Award and was selected as one of fifty ‘Top Innovators’ for the GSMA’s Mobile Innovation Summit. In 2008, the Company was named as one of the Top 50 Potential Investments for Mobile Phone Value-Added Products, and the Sony Ericsson sponsored Golden Olive Award for the Best Mobile Phone Advertising Platform.

Half a dozen ways to watch TV on your mobile

Here are five current options and another that's coming soon to a screen near you—one that might already be in your pocket.

Flo TV: Sold under different names by Verizon and AT&T, this broadcast service delivers 10 channels of television to selected cellphones. The signal arrives from a TV tower and not over the cellular network. The quality is good, with a TV-like experience—no buffering, no waiting, and it comes with a programming guide. Maintaining reception can mean walking around or swaying the handset, much like jiggling a TV's rabbit ears. The service is available in more than 50 metro markets and offers channels from CBS News, Comedy Central, ESPN, Fox, and MTV. Verizon offers four channels for $13 a month, and both carriers offer all 10 for $15 a month.

SlingPlayer Mobile: If you have a smartphone and a SlingBox at home, this software lets you, er, sling whatever's playing in your living room to your handset. The video stream arrives over a wireless Internet connection, so it can be smooth and it can hiccup. Much as with the PC SlingPlayer, you can control a TV, a cable box, or even a TiVo using a sometimes balky software remote. It works on many phones that run Windows Mobile, Nokia Symbian, and Palm systems—and soon the BlackBerry. The software costs $30, and a SlingBox starts at about $130, with no monthly fees.

MobiTV: Network and cablelike channels arrive on handsets offered by Sprint, Alltel, and AT&T. Similar services are available from Verizon and other carriers. Quality can be good, but the video starts after a bit of a lag over cell networks, meaning it can also stutter or die as can voice calls. (Can you hear me now?) MobiTV includes live streams from the Weather Channel, ESPN Sports, and ABC News. Or download movies and full-length TV shows at your convenience. MobiTV, whose many parent subscribers are entertaining the kids, recently added the Disney Channel and Hannah Montana episodes. There's a monthly charge of about $10 in addition to fees for data plans.

Sirius Backseat TV: Satellite radio is no longer just about radio. Sirius sells a kit at electronics stores that adds a three-channel video feed to car LCD screens. New-car buyers can also get the system preinstalled on some Chrysler vehicles. They include minivans, not surprisingly, as the service aims at half pints with channels from Disney, Nickelodeon, and the Cartoon Network. It isn't high-def TV but looks good on small LCD screens. The kit costs $300 plus installation, and the service adds $7 to the $13 monthly charge for Sirius radio.

Sat-Go: When you can't tear yourself away from your satellite TV, take it with you. You have to aim the briefcase's lid at the southern sky, meaning you can't be on the move while watching. And it weighs 27 pounds, so you're not going to walk around with it. But while on a tailgate, you can enjoy all the sports, movies, and sitcoms that DirecTV offers. Sat-Go comes with a 17-inch LCD screen for watching. Lining up the antenna can be tricky, especially if there are tall obstacles nearby. And don't venture far, as the battery can die out in an hour. Cost: $1,000 plus monthly subscription fee. Or if you want 185 channels while on the go, consider the $3,000 (plus subscription fees) TracVision A7.

Mobile Broadcast: By next year, this new standard could be delivering broadcasts from local TV stations to hand-held devices. Stations are expected to simulcast local broadcasts and offer extra, cablelike channels. Some will be supported by advertising; some will carry monthly fees. The first devices could appear in 2009 as hand-held media players but can be built into navigation devices, laptops, and cellphones. The experience should be similar to MediaFlo, which uses similar technology, with TV-like viewing and reception issues, depending on a handset's position.

3G Not Needed for Mobile TV, Says Analysys Mason

Industry adviser Analysys Mason is rocking the traditional wisdom boat with its latest report, Critical Ingredients of Mobile TV. Although many operators are planning to use a combination of 3G and dedicated mobile broadcasting networks to deliver mobile TV and video services, Analysy Mason says they could easily employ some emerging alternatives, such as indoor wireless systems such as femtocells and WLAN, to their advantage. The advisory group also encouraged operators not to overlook sideloading, where content is transferred from a PC or other device to the mobile phone’s memory.
As evidence, Dr. Alastair Brydon, Analysys Mason associate and co-author of the report, pointed out that iPhone users already watch a range of TV content without the need for 3G or mobile broadcasting capability.
Specific findings of the report include:
DVB-H trials have shown significant indoor usage of mobile TV services, with 36%-50% of participants using these services mainly at home. Indoor systems such as femtocells could carry this traffic, potentially with better quality than they could get with outdoor 3G and broadcasting networks.
Sideloading can be a highly effective way of delivering content that is not time-critical, such as pre-recorded TV programs and movies. Compared to other mobile TV distribution methods, sideloading can provide high quality and reliability in any location. For example, video content available on iTunes for Apple iPhones is encoded at a data rate of more than 1 Mbps, compared with 128 kbps for some 3G services.
Operators that are unable to deploy broadcasting networks could potentially deliver a compelling proposition without filling up the capacity of their 3G networks. If 75% of mobile TV content was delivered using sideloading and 60% of streamed content was consumed indoors, then 3G networks would need to carry just 10% of total mobile TV traffic.

http://www.wirelessweek.com/article.aspx?id=160148

Streaming TV and Radio on PDAs

I just found this site called

www.streams4pda.com


which provides various streaming links (mostly through mms server)for PDAs. It seems like a cool site for mobile streaming but unfortunately I couldn't check the contents since I dont use a PDA. These Rdaio and TV channels should work on Symbian and Windows mobile based handsets and PDAs

MobiTV and UIEvolution bring Streaming Video to Automobiles

Leading Providers of Content Delivery and Deployment Team to Showcase In-Car Video-On-Demand and Live TV

MobiTV, the leader in the delivery of mobile content and services, and UIEvolution (UIE), a global leader in software solutions that power the deployment of rich applications and services to users anytime, anywhere and on any device, today announced their collaboration on an end-to-end solution that will enable streaming video experiences in automobiles. The Connected Car solution by UIEvolution will be demonstrated with video technology provided by MobiTV at this year's Telematics Detroit 2008 show.

Auto manufacturers are able to quickly add connectivity to standalone audio, video and navigation systems as well as integrate advertising. The UIE Connected Car solution with video powered by MobiTV delivers real-time information and personalized content to the driver, entertainment to the rear-seat passengers and provides fully-integrated, targeted advertising delivery. The ability to add advertising can reduce the cost of a monthly subscription for connected services.

The solution uses the industry-leading technology from UIEvolution including robust client-server technology to facilitate and streamline the in-vehicle experience. Once the vehicle is in the market, UIE Blender(TM), the managed service for content aggregation, management & on-boarding allows automakers to update, add and extend services and applications, responding to changing market trends and consumer behavior.

MobiTV is providing the encoding and delivery platform for the in-vehicle streaming solution, utilizing its RTP/RTSP and 3GPP-compliant Optimized Delivery Server (ODS). ODS combines unicast and multicast distribution methods, creating a single delivery platform that improves video quality and decreases backhaul. MobiTV's ODS utilizes bandwidth smoothing, seamless network handover capabilities and bandwidth adaptation that includes stream switching, stream thinning and rate shaping to significantly improve the overall user experience.

"UIE and MobiTV share a common vision to create and deliver an always-on, connected media experience to the fourth screen in the automobiles of the near future," said Kevin Grant, vice president of sales, MobiTV. "UIE's ability to deliver world-class integrated services and MobiTV's proven capability of delivering live TV over virtually every modern wireless network will bring the viewing convenience of the living room to the back seat of tomorrow's vehicles."

"We are pleased to be working with MobiTV and believe that our combined leadership and expertise will deliver the industry's most comprehensive and powerful in-auto entertainment solution," said Keith O'Neill, vice president of business development new media and devices, UIE. "UIEvolution is leveraging eight years of wireless experience and the technology that delivers the recently announced MEdia Mall 2.0 storefront to millions of AT&T customers to bring compelling content to the automobile."

MobiTV's Optimized Delivery Server delivers the industry's fastest channel change capability (sub-one second) and enables new video advertising insertion solutions including in-stream insertion for live and clip linear content and the ability to deliver in-video personalized, targeted ads to a specific user based on the user's
available profile information.

Website: http://www.mobitv.com/
Website: http://www.uievolution.com/

IPL extends web and mobile video deals

The Indian Premier League has reached an agreement to stream matches live on the internet and to mobile phones in regions including India, Pakistan and the Middle East in a deal with Dubai-based company netlinkblue thought to be worth almost $50m (£25m) over 10 years.

Netlinkblue is looking to target cricket fans around the world with content from the Twenty20 competition including live streaming and a 72-hour online catch-up service.

The deal excludes markets such as the US, UK, South Africa and New Zealand due to existing deals with broadcasters. In the UK Setanta has a five year pay-TV deal with the IPL that also covers online video rights.

Netlinkblue, a provider of consulting, technology and IT solutions, is aiming to cash in on the huge popularity for IPL matches in markets such as India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.

Other key targets include the United Arab Emirates as well as the massive expat Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi cricket-loving populations spread across the globe.

"Cricketing action is a big draw for television viewers and with the emergence of new media technologies we can take the experience to the viewer's office, home and mobile devices," said Akash Aurora, chief executive of netlinkblue.

Netlinkblue has developed a three-tier payment system for online TV viewing.

A day pass costs $2.72 (£1.37), a league pass for the duration of each IPL tournament is valued at $40.57 and an annual pass priced at $51.46.

Netlinkblue originally intended to launch the internet streaming service on its own website www.t20.com.

However, it has now linked up with Live Current Media, which paid $50m for a 10-year deal last month to develop the official IPL website offering all internet TV coverage through one portal.

Live Current Media offers clips of highlights and access to archive content after netlinkblue's 72-hour catch-up TV window.

Geoffrey Hampson, the LCM chief executive, said that the IPLT20.com website has recorded more than 30m page views in the first month of launch from a "truly global audience".

The majority of the content within the official IPL website remains free to access.

As part of LCM's deal with the IPL it is forming a Getty Images-style picture and video syndication service for other media outlets to purchase content.

Lalit Modi, the chairman and commissioner of the IPL, said that the alliance between LCM and netlinkblue to centralise digital media rights would provide "fans globally with a direct window to the on-field action".

LG and Samsung push US mobile TV standard

Single standard designed to drive adoption

LG Electronics and Samsung are to propose a jointly developed technology as the North American standard for mobile digital TV to the Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC).

The two companies laid out plans at a recent signing ceremony in Seoul to cooperate in order to assure the rapid adoption of a single common in-band mobile digital TV standard.

"Our collaboration will help accelerate the ATSC standardisation of mobile TV technology, which will benefit consumers and broadcasters," said JongWoo Park, president of Samsung's Digital Media Business.

The joint system will reflect the findings of a report to be submitted to the ATSC by the Open Mobile Video Coalition (OMVC), a group of US broadcasters promoting the development and early deployment of mobile digital TV.

The proposed standard uses the existing terrestrial digital TV broadcast bandwidth, and has no impact on existing digital TV and requires minimum broadcasting equipment investment.

"LG and Samsung are already world-class in digital TV and mobile communications. We also have an opportunity to lead the North American mobile digital TV market," said Woo Paik, president and chief technology officer at LG.

The ATSC is expected to adopt the mobile/handheld digital TV standard for the North American market in early 2009, following trials of the technology by the OMVC.

A study commissioned by the National Association of Broadcasters suggested that the adoption of a single mobile digital TV standard would drive the sale of 130 million mobile digital TV phones by the end of 2012.

AT&T launches Mobile TV

AT&T officially confirmed reports its long-delayed mobile TV initiative will launch May 4. The MediaFLO-based AT&T Mobile TV's programming lineup will encompass wireless broadcasting staples CBS Mobile, ESPN Mobile TV, Fox Mobile, NBC 2Go, NBC News 2Go, Comedy Central, MTV and Nickelodeon as well as two exclusive channels: Sony Pictures Television's PIX, which offers contemporary films from the studio's library, and CNN Mobile Live, which promises breaking news coverage as well as programs like American Morning, Larry King Live and Anderson Cooper 360. (As recently as last month, CNN denied reports it would introduce the AT&T channel.) During its first 60 days on air, AT&T Mobile TV will also feature CNCRT, a concert channel delivered by entertainment production and distribution firm Control Room; during each 24-hour daily programming cycle, CNCRT will air concert videos from acts including Jay-Z, Sheryl Crow, Fall Out Boy and Avril Lavigne.

AT&T Mobile TV will launch on two exclusive handsets: The LG Vu, a touchscreen device with a music player, 2.0 megapixel camera and Bluetooth capabilities priced at $299.99 with a two-year service agreement and after a $100 mail-in rebate, and the Samsung Access, which features a landscape display, camera, external stereo speakers and stereo Bluetooth for $199.99 with a two-year service agreement and after a $100 mail-in rebate. AT&T Mobile TV will launch in 58 markets, including Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, New York City, Philadelphia, San Diego, Seattle and Washington, D.C. AT&T will make available three pricing options: $13 a month for a limited basic package including access to four channels (CBS Mobile, Fox Mobile, NBC 2Go and NBC News 2Go); $15 a month for the Basic package including unlimited mobile TV access; and $30 a month for the Mobile TV Plus package, which includes unlimited Mobile TV, unlimited mobile web browsing on AT&T MEdia Net and unlimited access to the CV on-demand mobile video service.

Mywaves Gets MTV Content For Its Ad-Subsidized Mobile TV Service

Mywaves, the Sunnyvale, Calif. company building an ad-supported streaming mobile video service, plans to announce tomorrow that it’s expanding its TV channels to include such mainstream content from MTV, as clips from Jackass, VH1, Gametrailers and Atom Entertainment (We see the announcement has slipped out early as often times happens during big trade shows). Coincidentally, we also noticed that Mywaves beat out MTV and Sony (NYSE: SNE) Pictures as the best mobile video service at the Mobile World Congress, so perhaps Sony will be announced next?

Here’s a look at the details:

TV Channels: The service, available at m.mywaves.com, has a shocking 460,000 channels of content. Of the biggies, it already has relationships with CBS (NYSE: CBS) and Fox, with the rest coming from a variety of multi-platform channels, including such odd-balls as Funny or Die and National Banana.

By The Numbers: Three months after its launch, CEO and Founder Rajeev Raman said it had 250,000 downloads, and by the end of the first full year in December, it had 18 million. That month, there were 5 million unique visitors.

On Advertising: Mywaves is also unveiling tomorrow that it has launched a production team for its ad network, which it launched at the end of last year. The production team will help offer consulting services (for example, mywaves suggests 5-and 15-second pre-roll ads over 30-second ones), and will even edit down commercials from other mediums to work in mobile. Recent advertising clients to sign up include Microsoft (NSDQ: MSFT), Paramount Pictures and Toyota.

Raman’s opinion on mobile advertising in 08: “I don’t think you can find or point to other examples of video advertising in mobile that’s happening in any significant way. We feel pretty excited about that,” he said. “If you look at it from the advertiser’s perspective, is mobile something you are going to set aside a big budget for in 08? No. In 08, what I’m seeing is more and more brands trying mobile advertising, and different types of mobile advertising.”

Goldspot launches mobile TV platform

Mobile marketers who have questions about how best to incorporate mobile television into their advertising opportunities may benefit from a new platform offered by Goldspot Media. The mobile marketing company has launched the "Trial-In-A-Box" platform which allows marketers to try mobile television ads to learn which options are most suitable



The platform gives marketers access to dynamic ad-insertion solutions for streaming video on mobiles. It utilizes more traditional models for inventory and revenue-sharing and then optimizes those models for mobile. Marketers can test the effectiveness of their streaming mobile ads and ad models from free-broadcast to pay-per-stream.

"Virtually everything is in place today, including mature broadcast technologies, standardization, mobile broadcast terminals, high quality content and consumer acceptance, to make interactive mobile broadcast TV a reality,” said Staffan Nilsson, senior vice president, Business Development, GoldSpot Media. “Trial-in-a-Box is designed to help solve the catch-22 – the first controlled opportunity for mobile TV service providers and ad inventory holders to determine how to optimally integrate advertising to create highly-profitable mobile video services across broadcast and 3G.”

According to Nilsson, the only barrier to mobile video marketing today is a lack of proven revenue models. By trying different types of models, advertisers can discover which model suits an advertiser's needs best