Qualcomm and Teleepoch
Enter Into a 3G CDMA Subscriber Unit License Agreement, October
6, 2007
MTN chooses Cambridge Broadband
Networks for multi-service wireless network in Rwanda, October 6,
2007
Brazilian government to
publish 3G bidding rules soon, October 6, 2007
KTF 3G service suffers
from technical problems, October 6, 2007
Argentina’s Personal
lunches 3G service in Rosario, October 6, 2007
Russia has it's first 3G
network, October 6, 2007
AT&T could drop Alcatel-Lucent
as 3G mobile network supplier, October 6, 2007
Enea Extends License Agreement
with ZTE for 3G Handsets, October 2, 2007
LG to unveil premium handsets
in Brazil, October 2, 2007
KTF 3G subscribers doubled
in less than 3 months, October 2, 2007
3G policy in India will
be non-uniform, October 2, 2007
- previous news
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Unveiling the 'fourth screen': mobile video all set to go - report
December 1, 2003
Expect plenty of action around mobile video in 2004. Operators need to
find a role for to mobile video services, the fourth screen after TV,
cinema and the PC. There is still plenty of uncertainty on how to shape
this new medium. Dario Betti, senior analyst at Wireless Multimedia, advises
players to launch video services in 2004, and gain valuable experience
quickly.
Video will be a priority for mobile operators in 2004. Let's be clear:
if you are looking for a great revenue generator in the medium term, you
should look elsewhere. Nevertheless, video is set to become an important
element of data services, but one about which operators know remarkably
little right now. Operator focus is still confused: most of the efforts
have being on tweaking technologies to make it work and not in creating
services. That's why operators will be busy learning and testing video
services next year.
Mobile video is set to become a 'fourth screen': after television, cinema
and the PC a new platform is taking shape. However, the role of mobile
video is far from clear. The industry is going through it first faux pas:
pitching mobile as new television. Many operators have already fallen
into the same trap; for instance, TIM in Italy is currently pushing live
television programmes services to its users. However, television already
exists and broadcasting media are in a better position to deliver them
cheaply and more effectively. Mobile networks need to find an alternative
role for mobile video, a copy of an existing service will be of little
interest.
The good news is that operators can afford video. The cost of launching
video is not prohibitive; operators should start with applications supported
by their existing network, and then add advanced video services once migration
to 3G networks starts. Capital expenditure for video services is moderate,
partly due to previous investments in data services. Mobile video can
generate cash: despite its relatively small contribution in terms of revenues,
video has a good chance to self fund its deployment and start to generate
some profits over the next five years. We expect a return on investment
in 3-4 years from launch.
Operators should start with a combination of communication and content
services. The first application to launch is video messaging: it is a
straight evolution of picture messaging. Video messaging revenues will
be noticeable in 2004, generating $650 million world-wide in revenues.
Video alerts are also important. Some of the existing users of sports
and trivia alerts will find improved video based service more appealing.
The mobile handset has already proved itself a good platform for personalised
delivery of last minute information and SMS-based content, video should
simply increase the range of services available. The launch of video telephony
is pegged to 3G networks, and we should see more of those by the end of
2004.
Only after 2004 should operators launch other more 'exotic' applications:
such as push to show, see what I see, and video personalisation: learn
to walk before you run.
The outlook for the introduction of video services is favourable, as
long as operators keep their expectations under control. By now it is
widely accepted that video is not a saviour: video alone will not fund
the rollout of 3G. But video will bring some additional revenues and add
to the bottom line within the next 5 years.
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3G Motorola A920
