MobiTV to Link Cable DVRs to Phones
Service Could Be Offered As Part of Sprint Nextel Joint Venture with Cable Operators
By Todd Spangler & David Cohen -- Multichannel News, 3/27/2007 4:40:00 PM
Orlando, Fla. -- MobiTV CEO Phillip Alvelda said the mobile-technology provider is developing a way for cable operators to let subscribers stream programming stored on their digital-video recorders to mobile phones.
The DVR-to-mobile service could be offered as part of the four operators’ joint venture with Sprint Nextel, which announced Pivot as the new brand name for their mobile-wireless packages Monday at the CTIA Wireless 2007 convention here.
However, according to Sprint spokeswoman Melinda Tiemeyer, the Sprint-Cable JV doesn’t currently have a DVR-to-mobile-phone feature on its road map. “When we get to that point there are going to be a lot of different people involved, not just MobiTV,” she said in a voice-mail message.
Alvelda said MobiTV has been working with Scientific Atlanta and Motorola to integrate the DVR functions in their set-tops with the MobiTV infrastructure for sending TV signals over wireless carriers’ networks.
The service will be similar to what Sling Media offers with SlingPlayer Mobile, which lets a user watch live or recorded TV on a mobile device. “Except,” added Alvelda, “we're paying people for the programming.”
Ultimately, MobiTV expects to be able to stream TV content from 20 million digital set-top boxes that have DVRs in the networks of the four operators -- Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Cox Communications and Bright House Networks. "It's just a software upgrade," Alvelda said.
Alternatively, he added, the cable industry may develop a network-based DVR system that could provide the same streaming-to-mobile feature as long as programmers give their consent. A federal court last week ruled that Cablevision Systems' network-DVR violated copyright laws in a suit brought by major broadcasters and cable programmers.
As for pricing and availability, Alvelda said that would be up to the individual operators. Bright House and Time Warner declined to comment on their plans; Comcast and Cox did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
MobiTV provides what it internally calls “MSO TV” to the members of the Sprint JV. The programming, which the operators offer in different tiers, includes ABC News, Fox News Channel, Fox Sports, The Weather Channel, Bloomberg, Fuse, E! News and ESPN highlights.
Using the Sprint wireless network, Comcast offers mobile service in Boston and Portland, Ore.; Cox in San Diego and Phoenix, and Time Warner in Raleigh, N.C., Austin, Texas, and Cincinnati. Bright House hasn't announced when or where it will launch mobile service.
The MSOs haven’t talked about the ability to watch DVR content on phones, but they’ve touted other features that integrate with cable services, such as accessing TV listings through their mobile phones and checking home e-mail on the mobile phones.
In other MobiTV news, the company announced a mobile-advertising alliance with Yahoo, whereby the Internet giant will be the ad-network partner for MobiTV's mobile-video-advertising sales and delivery, providing access to a one-stop, fully integrated mobile-media buy across all advertising modes, including text, banner and mobile video.
Yahoo launched its Yahoo! Mobile Publisher Services Tuesday.
MobiTV, based in Emeryville, Calif., now has about 250 employees. The privately held company doesn’t disclose finances. Its backers include Adobe Systems, Hearst, Oak Investment Partners, Menlo Ventures, Redpoint Ventures and Gefinor Ventures.
MobiTV offers 35 TV channels in the United States, with distribution partners that include Sprint and AT&T, which offers MobiTV programming through Cingular Wireless and AT&T Broadband TV.
