Search:  

 
 
   News
newer
story category People Don't Want to Pay for Mobile TV
But they do seem to be interested in the service
(old news - 11:29AM Wednesday Aug 06 2008)
tags: Video · business · wireless · content · consumers
As cell phones have gotten more advanced and mobile broadband has become more widespread, predictions have been made that mobile TV is one area of the wireless business that could really take off. However, mobile TV trials seem to indicate that people aren’t actually willing to pay extra money to be able to get mobile TV services. One report cites five different mobile TV providers around the globe that have shut down service, have seen a slowdown in subscriptions or are otherwise failing to get people to pay for mobile TV.

People have started getting used to having access to free video content and aren’t willing to cough up money for subscriptions easily. This doesn’t mean that mobile TV is a service that’s going to disappear. (Qualcomm and Echostar are two examples of companies that are pursuing the technology.) However it suggests that an ad-based model that’s free to subscribers could be the most successful business approach for this service.

Related:
  1. Americans are More Wired at End of Year than Beginning
  2. House Defeats DTV Delay Bill
  3. The Metered Billing Fight Is About To Get Ugly
  4. Cogeco Metered Billing Goes Live, Confuses Customers
  5. AT&T Offers Free iPhone U-Verse DVR App
  6. Verizon's New Wireless Pricing Is An Insult
  7. What Network Neutrality Is REALLY About
  8. Cable Industry: Shucks, Guess Nobody Wants CableCARDs
Forums » People Don't Want to Pay for Mobile TV
view: topics flat text 
Post a:

avd706
insert annoying animated gif here
Premium
join:2003-02-06
Union, NJ

1 edit

Why woud i pay...

If I could get it free at home. (or with a digital tuner attached to my laptop?)

And why would I pay, if in the example of HBO, I pay for it already?

tiger72
SexaT duorP
Premium
join:2001-03-28
Saint Louis, MO
clubs:

on demand vs broadcast

if i'm on the go, I don't want to see broadcast TV - I want on-demand clips and little more. I pay for TV at home, I don't need TV on the go bad enough to pay even more for it

Frank
is chilling
Premium
join:2000-11-03
somewhere
·Verizon FIOS


1 edit

Re: on demand vs broadcast

said by tiger72 See Profile :

if i'm on the go, I don't want to see broadcast TV - I want on-demand clips and little more. I pay for TV at home, I don't need TV on the go bad enough to pay even more for it
I'm the opposite, I want real TV and on-demand but not just little 5 minute clips. I had verizon vcast when it first came out and it sucked. All they would do was put measly little five minute clips which were very boring. If you want five minute clips of the daily show then vcast is for you.

The only time I even used this stuff is when I'm stuck in a situation of 'hurry up and wait' (ie: when i'm at an airport terminal, doctor's office, laundromat, etc.)
--
At first I thought everyone on the highway was drunk but then I realized I was driving in Florida

tiger72
SexaT duorP
Premium
join:2001-03-28
Saint Louis, MO
clubs:

Re: on demand vs broadcast

i never have any use for it anyways. I'm not a big TV fan, so clips would work well since the little TV I watch I know precisely what I want to watch already...

Neyland

join:2003-02-04
USA

I agree, I want real TV, but I want to be able to record it at home and transfer it to my mobile if I don't have time to watch it at home or want to watch it while I'm out. I want it to be seemless and I don't want to pay extra for it. I'm paying for it once and don't see or am willing to pay for it a second time just to watch it on my mobile.
bugabuga

join:2004-06-10
Austin, TX

And the answer to that is

Bundle it with the plan and don't let people to unsubscribe!
That's what Sprint just did -- their discounted SERO plans were thrown out the window and new ones automatically come with mobile tv (and are twice as expensive as old ones, of course).
whiteyonenh

join:2004-08-09
Keene, NH
clubs:
·RoadRunner Cable

Re: And the answer to that is

said by bugabuga See Profile :

Bundle it with the plan and don't let people to unsubscribe!
That's what Sprint just did -- their discounted SERO plans were thrown out the window and new ones automatically come with mobile tv (and are twice as expensive as old ones, of course).
While I commend sprint for bundling the TV service with the new plans, discontinuing the old SERO plans was in my opinion a bad idea. In my area sprint coverage can be a problem. I would not have even looked at sprint if it hadn't have been for sero, and the fact that the roaming was included. I had sprint years ago, and the coverage is largely the same, only difference is that now theres EVDOrA.

S_engineer

join:2007-05-16
Chicago, IL

Re: And the answer to that is

yeah...that will save sprint

SPRINT NXTEL CP(NYSE: S)
NEW Real-time: 7.69 0.86 (10.06%) 11:53AM ET

they're swirling..
--
The "Lifetime" channel is responsible for 83% of all divorces...Robert Ginty
dustman81

join:2002-05-28
Tallmadge, OH
I have one of the Everything plans and while it's a nicety to have live TV included with the plan, it's not something I'd pay separately for.
bugabuga

join:2004-06-10
Austin, TX

Re: And the answer to that is

That's the point -- because people did not want an add-on for extra price, carrier just bundles it on top of everything else so there'd be no option to remove it.

bobjohnson
Premium
join:2007-02-03
Titusville, FL
·Sprint Mobile Broa..
·RoadRunner Cable

Re: And the answer to that is

said by bugabuga See Profile :

That's the point -- because people did not want an add-on for extra price, carrier just bundles it on top of everything else so there'd be no option to remove it.
In sprint's case they aren't benefitting from including tv in the sero and everything plans, in this case it is to get as many subs as they can. Just don't use it if you don't like it
--
Any unauthorized copying or distribution of the opinion above constitutes stupidity and you should probably be punished


kamm

join:2001-02-14
Brooklyn, NY
·T-Mobile US


1 edit
said by bugabuga See Profile :

Bundle it with the plan and don't let people to unsubscribe!
That's what Sprint just did -- their discounted SERO plans were thrown out the window and new ones automatically come with mobile tv (and are twice as expensive as old ones, of course).
That's the worst idea I can imagine - the safest way to piss me off so badly I willswitch toanother provider.
Stupid monopolist thinking.
--
jester121

join:2003-08-09
Lake Zurich, IL
I never understood why Sprint let the SERO program turn into such a free-for-all. Some auto makers did the same thing but they finally realized there is such a thing as the internet now, and human nature is what it is.

KoolMoe
Aw Man
Premium
join:2001-02-14
Annapolis, MD
clubs:

Re: And the answer to that is

I'm glad they did leave it fairly open! Otherwise we'd be using Verizon now. My biggest argument against going VZ was Sprint's SERO plan and pricing. Made it in just under the wire! I don't want to give any more money to VZ.
KM

Jim_in_VA

join:2004-07-11
Cobbs Creek, VA

one word - SLINGBOX

After you buy one you'll never go back to a paid mobileTV service. Have TV YOUR way...anywhere.
--
»evdo-tips.com/

avd706
insert annoying animated gif here
Premium
join:2003-02-06
Union, NJ

Re: one word - SLINGBOX

said by Jim_in_VA See Profile :

After you buy one you'll never go back to a paid mobileTV service. Have TV YOUR way...anywhere.
And with evdo caps, how does that help?

Matt
Gone playing Dragon Age Origins
Premium
join:2003-07-20
Jamestown, NC
·North State Commun..


1 edit

Re: one word - SLINGBOX

said by avd706 See Profile :

said by Jim_in_VA See Profile :

After you buy one you'll never go back to a paid mobileTV service. Have TV YOUR way...anywhere.
And with evdo caps, how does that help?
160x320 resolution video is not very bandwidth intensive at all. Add to that the video is typically downsampled to 65k colors and the frame rate is typically reduced to 15fps and the bandwidth usage is minimal.

I can stream DVDs from my Windows Home Server to my WM6 phone at 320x214 with only 250Kbps of bandwidth. That's only 31KB/sec ... or enough to watch 44 hours of video.

bobjohnson
Premium
join:2007-02-03
Titusville, FL
·Sprint Mobile Broa..
·RoadRunner Cable

Re: one word - SLINGBOX

said by Matt See Profile :

said by avd706 See Profile :

said by Jim_in_VA See Profile :

After you buy one you'll never go back to a paid mobileTV service. Have TV YOUR way...anywhere.
And with evdo caps, how does that help?
160x320 resolution video is not very bandwidth intensive at all. Add to that the video is typically downsampled to 65k colors and the frame rate is typically reduced to 15fps and the bandwidth usage is minimal.

I can stream DVDs from my Windows Home Server to my WM6 phone at 320x214 with only 250Kbps of bandwidth. That's only 31KB/sec ... or enough to watch 44 hours of video.
also the caps don't apply to phones only to the broadband cards
--
Any unauthorized copying or distribution of the opinion above constitutes stupidity and you should probably be punished


Jim_in_VA

join:2004-07-11
Cobbs Creek, VA
...stream all the time via wifi, you do need a wifi capable phone of course. some of us have *no* caps
--
»evdo-tips.com/

kamm

join:2001-02-14
Brooklyn, NY
·T-Mobile US

said by Jim_in_VA See Profile :

After you buy one you'll never go back to a paid mobileTV service. Have TV YOUR way...anywhere.
And if you try Orb you would never pay for stupid Slingbox...

...and on and on...
--

Matt
Gone playing Dragon Age Origins
Premium
join:2003-07-20
Jamestown, NC
·North State Commun..

Re: one word - SLINGBOX

said by kamm See Profile :

said by Jim_in_VA See Profile :

After you buy one you'll never go back to a paid mobileTV service. Have TV YOUR way...anywhere.
And if you try Orb you would never pay for stupid Slingbox...

...and on and on...

A Slingbox can interface directly with your cable/satellite box. Orb can't do that without cobbling together a hackish TV Tuner/IR setup.

Slingbox is pretty much plug and play.

avd706
insert annoying animated gif here
Premium
join:2003-02-06
Union, NJ

Re: one word - SLINGBOX

I can do the same thing with my TiVo (if it was working)
fiberguy
My views are my own.
Premium
join:2005-05-20
Agreed..

I have my sling box and didn't mind paying for it. But, for some, I suppose, the entire world should be free - more power to them.

JSY
Premium
join:2000-04-05
Elmhurst, NY
clubs:
·RoadRunner Cable
·Bway.net

said by kamm See Profile :

said by Jim_in_VA See Profile :

After you buy one you'll never go back to a paid mobileTV service. Have TV YOUR way...anywhere.
And if you try Orb you would never pay for stupid Slingbox...

...and on and on...
I guess you've never used Slingbox before. They are two different animals by far.

devicemanage
Premium
join:2002-03-16
Chalfont, PA
·Comcast
·Vonage
·Verizon FIOS

Re: one word - SLINGBOX

I also use orb and all I have is a pc at home with a hauppauge 150 mce card in it. I dont watch tv on the pc that often, maybe on a sunday when I want to watch football and surf the net. But orb allows you to play tv, a dvd if it is in your drvive or even if you ripped the dvd to the hard drive, you can use the file browser and play anything, any format media. Both are really nice and use compression to get you the best possible picture. But in my opinion I sont want to watch daytime tv, I want to stream a movie, maybe catch the weather channel - but accessing what is on my hard drive is king...

JSY
Premium
join:2000-04-05
Elmhurst, NY
clubs:
·RoadRunner Cable
·Bway.net

Re: one word - SLINGBOX

I have Orb installed on one of my computers and to access stuff on your computer is fantastic and Orb does a really good job of it. But Slingbox is for people who want to watch live TV and without the use of a computer to stream it from. Slingbox lets you operate your DVR over the internet so essentially you can watch anything that you've recorded previously. I think they both serve purposes and one doesn't really replace the other. You can watch TV on Orb if you have the hardware for the computer, but only if your computer is on and waiting for you. Slingbox has the advantage of not needing a computer and even better - you can watch it on your Symbian, WM6, and soon Blackberry phones.

JSY
Premium
join:2000-04-05
Elmhurst, NY
clubs:
·RoadRunner Cable
·Bway.net

It's incredible how well Slingbox works, and I agree - once you use one, you'll never want to go to something like MobiTV or otherwise again. That being said, I've used it less lately because my sources are now HDMI and I haven't looked into the HDMI input attachment. I hope the fact that it's now owned by EchoStar Holdings won't change the fact that it's FREE TO USE.
Kearnstd
Elf Wizard
Premium
join:2002-01-22
Mullica Hill, NJ
Slingbox wins hands down. software solutions just cant compair for plug and go.
--
[65 Arcanist]Filan(High Elf) Zone: Broadband Reports

dot_null
Premium
join:2004-06-28
Kennesaw, GA
·Callcentric
·Comcast
·VoiceStick
·AT&T Southeast


4 edits
Concurred. I love my Slingbox - I used around 500MB total on my Sprint SERO plan last month with a decent amount of Slingbox usage. I detest caps, but a 5GB cap, even if applied to on-device data isn't horrible IMO (at least for now, maybe revisit the cap in a year or two).

Plus, I can get channels that are only on my cable service like my local channels (for news and weather) and CNN International. I couldn't live without my Slingbox. And after the whole MobiTV/HoFo thing earlier this year, I wouldn't give you 2¢ for a lifetime subscription to them.
--
A little off center & loving it! »www.euphoricarythmia.com/

JoeG4

join:2001-12-16
945941
·AT&T DSL Service
·Comcast
·Clearwire Wireless
·Vonage

Why would you need it on your cellphone?

If you're at the bank, there's TVs facing the line, if you're at the checkout line in the store, chances are about 50/50 there will be some form of TV - even the @#*% gas stations have TVs now.

It's almost getting as bad as the telescreens in 1984. The question is, why would you want EVEN MORE TV in your life?

Matt
Gone playing Dragon Age Origins
Premium
join:2003-07-20
Jamestown, NC
·North State Commun..

Not Watching TV in General?

Is it possible that people just aren't watching as much TV in general? I know the ratio of good-to-junk on the TV started to fall with the rise of "The Real World" generation and continues with the ridiculous amount of reality TV out there.

People seem to be viewing less and only certain prime-time shows at that. Are there any shows out there that come out during hours that you can't be somewhere with a TV (home/gym) and you just HAVE to watch it on your phone?

I can think of a couple of times when it would have been handy to have TV on my phone. During the ACC Tournament for instance, but not enough to have a 12 month subscription just to watch a weeks worth of programming on a teeny-tiny cell phone screen without any use for the remaining 51 weeks of the year.
deadzoned
Premium
join:2005-04-13
Baton Rouge, LA
·Cox HSI

Re: Not Watching TV in General?

You may be on to something there. There are not a lot of quality tv shows to watch and the ones that are worth watching always seem to be taking long-ass breaks that potentially cause people to forget or lose interest.

Heck, I know this has happened with me, I barely watch tv anymore other than when the good shows start like Heroes, Lost, etc... And then, I will just let the DVR record a bunch of them and then watch them over a weekend or something when I have time.

The concept of Mobile TV is the most unappealing thing ever to me. Small screen, limited content, possible insane charges from the cellular phone company because of their stupid 5gb caps, the list goes on and on.
Steve B

join:2004-08-02
Seattle, WA


1 edit

I think that....

The real reason behind this is because people don't want to pay for TV twice. If you watch TV, then you are already paying for cable or satellite at home. Why would you want to pay for it on your cell phone when the quality aint that great, the selections could be better, etc? If you are the small percentage that uses 'bunny ears'...free tv...why would those people want to buy tv for just the cell phone? It breaks down to if you want to pay for tv, you will obviously want to pay for tv at home. If you want free video...there are the 'bunny ears' or video on the internet.
b10010011
Whats a Posting tag?

join:2004-09-07
Bellingham, WA
·Comcast Formerly ..


1 edit

Who wants to watch a tiny screen anyway or PAY to do it?

Tiny TV's have been around for decades.

How many people really watch them?

Not many...

Of the few who would watch a tiny TV how many are going to PAY to watch it?

Even less

Sorry, these streaming services on tiny screens are destine to be nothing more then a novelty.

kamm

join:2001-02-14
Brooklyn, NY

Re: Who wants to watch a tiny screen anyway or PAY to do it?

I agree, couldn't care less about stupid, lame US news channels - worst of all Western World news sources - or retarded "entertainment" clips.
--

hurleyp

join:2000-06-20
Ottawa, ON
Small portable TVs have been around in one form or another since the 60's. Like the man said, they are little more than novelty items.
--
"I reject your reality and substitute my own."

DaMaGeINC
The Lan Man
Premium
join:2002-06-08
Greenville, SC
clubs:

LIke I always said.

Another useless service that no one wanted in the first place.
elray

join:2000-12-16
Santa Monica, CA
·SONIC.NET
·RoadRunner Cable
·Verizon Online DSL

I'll pay!

But give us ala-carte, from a wide variety of feeds.
Don't make me pay for ESPN, MTV, or anything else I don't want, or give me "equivalent" channels that aren't.

Instead, we get a variety of junior bundles that, once again, might include one channel we might want to watch, per tier.

Not gonna happen.
rickonline

join:2005-11-15
North Bergen, NJ
·Verizon Online DSL

Mobile TV

I have VCAST on the Dare and this is the first phone that has a screen size large enough to enjoy the video clips. You can watch full episodes of some shows in 6-7 minute parts. There are many video clips to pick from. Mobile TV only has about 5-6 channels so you don't have much to pick from if you,say, commute each day at 6 PM and want to watch some videos during the trip.
The new phones from VZW don't have Mobile TV. The last phone with it was the Voyager from last year.
--
Rick

footballdude
Premium
join:2002-08-13
Imperial, MO

my take

IMO, the vast majority of people watch TV when they want to relax, veg out, take it easy, etc. When you're out and about, TV just doesn't work out very well. Now being able to play a few minutes of your shows in the car while running errands or on the bus/train while you commute might be worthwhile but it's not something that most people would want to pay anything substantial for.

And, maybe it's my Tivo spoiled self talking, but I don't want to watch live TV anytime, except for the occasional ball game. Even then I'll record it and start watching it about half an hour after it starts so I can skip the commercials.

They could give this service away for free and I'd not be interested.
--
It's a trick. Get an axe. - Ash

avd706
insert annoying animated gif here
Premium
join:2003-02-06
Union, NJ

Re: my take

said by footballdude See Profile :

IMO, the vast majority of people watch TV when they want to relax, veg out, take it easy, etc. When you're out and about, TV just doesn't work out very well. Now being able to play a few minutes of your shows in the car while running errands or on the bus/train while you commute might be worthwhile but it's not something that most people would want to pay anything substantial for.

And, maybe it's my Tivo spoiled self talking, but I don't want to watch live TV anytime, except for the occasional ball game. Even then I'll record it and start watching it about half an hour after it starts so I can skip the commercials.

They could give this service away for free and I'd not be interested.
If I could catch up on some TV shows on my commute home that would be great. But I ain't gonna pay extra for it.

mrchris
We don't miss you Bush
Premium
join:2002-10-01
North Babylon, NY

This is useless!

If you want to watch TV, watch it at home and not some half-assed mobile with a tiny screen!
voipdabbler

join:2006-04-27
Kalispell, MT

TV-on-the-go the least of cellular providers' worries.

With the economy seeing stagflation (recession combined with inflation) and credit tightening, the average middle class wage earner is finally having to pay attention to their budget. Like it or not the expectations of the average person are going to have to come down to a more realistic level--no more instant gratification by buying each and everything you desire--on credit. The majority of us are going to have to plan a budget and stick to it. This will be a major sea-change, not just for consumers but for the vast network of sellers (of goods and services). Those selling non-essential goods and services (and bells and whistles offered by cellular providers, like TV, fall into this category) should be especially careful to take note of this changing environment. For if they don't and they continue the trend of the early part of this decade--raising prices because consumers seem willing to pay by putting everything on credit--they will find themselves losing market share quickly. I expect to see broadband subscriber numbers dropping and an increase in the number of prepaid cellular subscribitions over the next 2-3 quarters.

roc5955
Premium
join:2005-11-26
Rosendale, NY

So much carp, so little time

Yeah, I want to PAY to watch Wheel of Misfortune, Dumber than a Fifth Grader, Faux News, or Who Wants to be a Total Loser on the tiny screen! NOT!
--
"Understanding is a three-edged sword."
fiberguy
My views are my own.
Premium
join:2005-05-20

Re: So much carp, so little time

.. and the Beauty is that.. you don't have to! Yea!! A win-win for the end user.

funchords
Hello
Premium,MVM
join:2001-03-11
Washington, DC
·Verizon Online DSL
·Skype

Double-Charging

The problem is that they want to charge you for the bandwidth and then charge you for putting something on the bandwidth. So wireless companies ban streaming services by policy or by low caps or both (unless it's their service, for which you pay extra).

That's unfair, and consumers know it.

CylonRed
Premium,MVM
join:2000-07-06
Bloom County

I can't even begin...

to SEE the show on the little screen - same reason the last thing I want to do is look at a web site on a phone.

I have enough problems with a regular phone and battery life - I have no reason to want to drain it faster.

Pretty soon I won't be able to buy a phone with no freaking camera (lots of govt contractors can't use those phones), no texting, no web enabled crap etc... for a reasonable price - say $25 with no contract.

All I need/want is a phone - nothing more.
--
Brian

It drops into your stomach like a Abrams's tank.... driven by Rosanne Barr...

Brazbit
Randomness Personified
Premium
join:2003-10-22
Port Orchard, WA
·wavebroadband

I've paid

I recently returned from vacation. While I was on vacation I signed up for MobiTV service.

Where I was going I know there were going to be several nights where I would be without a TV in addition to many long days of switching off driving with the wife.

Due to the unique situation I signed up for service. All in all the service was not that bad. There were several legitimate networks broadcasting their shows. Most of the rest were designed with mobile in mind and so were bite sized clips, like Discovery Mobile which would play segments from their various shows. Unfortunately those networks repeated the same hour or two content for an entire day or two. There were also channels devoted to specific shows that would simply show that show over and over until the next episode was broadcast at which point it would loop the new episode.

The service was handy and for $10 a month it delivered what I wanted. Now that I am back however I will be terminating my account as it just does not hold enough value when my normal entertainment options are available to me. I could see this type of service as handy for someone that traveled regularly but for the average person it just does not seem to offer enough.
--
At the end of this day, one shall stand, one shall ROFL!
stridr69

join:2003-05-19
San Luis Obispo, CA

Mobile TV

I love it. I have the Sprint 450 SEP plan and I watch CNN/Fox news whenever I can. Very handy for video news that's "breaking" as I watch. Not to mention NFL Network coverage of "#4's" doings with Green Bay-hear he's a "Jet" now.

By the way, There's alot of streaming radio offered by Sprint as well on their SEP plan. I listen as well.

The folks in Japan are well used to these services and I'm glad to see it's "finally" being offered here in the USofA.

The iPhone IS the driving force here for interactive phone use-those that want simple phones can still get them. It depends what you want.

I want it all...

Forums » People Don't Want to Pay for Mobile TV


Sunday, 08-Nov 18:44:39 Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Hosting by www.nac.net - DSL,Hosting & Co-lo | feedback | contact
over 10 years online! © 1999-2009 dslreports.com.