MediaFLO

Qualcomm confirms Flo TV switch-off and sells spectrum to AT&T

Californian technology firm Qualcomm has announced that it is to wind down its mobile TV service, Flo TV, and sell the spectrum in which the service operated to US carrier AT&T fro $1.925bn. It has been expected for some time that Flo TV would be shut down because of weak sales. However, Qualcomm had suggested that it might reposition its mobile TV broadcast network as a supplemental offering for US operators for the transmission of mobile data. The sale of the spectrum to AT&T indicates that this alternative was not viable for Qualcomm.

Qualcomm hints strongly at Flo TV switch-off

US vendor Qualcomm has given the strongest indication yet that it is set to call time on its Flo TV mobile TV service. The firm has announced that it is to suspend direct to consumer sales of service and devices immediately, and has committed to maintaining service for existing D2C customers only until spring 2011. The firm said that it would offer refunds to users “in the event of a discontinuance of service”, suggesting that this is the probable outcome, and conceded that it was expecting to have to make “some layoffs”.

MediaFLO dependent on overseas success says FLO TV president

International success is essential to the progress of Qualcomm’s MediaFLO mobile TV unit, said Bill Stone, president of FLO TV, the US service based on the technology. Qualcomm has a number of trials underway outside of the US, including one with UK satellite broadcaster BSkyB and a partnership with Japanese operator KDDI.

AT&T spends $2.5bn on 700MHz spectrum

US cellco AT&T paid out $2.5bn for a swathe of spectrum in the 700MHz band on Tuesday, positioning the carrier to offer new data services such as mobile TV. AT&T is acquiring the spectrum from Aloha Partners – “the largest owner of 700MHz spectrum in the US”. As part of the deal, AT&T will also […]

Taiwan trials MediaFLO

US chip shop Qualcomm said on Sunday that it has been tapped by China Network Systems (CNS) and Taiwan Television Enterprise (TTV) to conduct a technical trial of the MediaFLO platform in Taipei, Taiwan. The trial will begin this month and will feature four live channels of CNS content and up to three live channels […]

Verizon unveils TV offerings

As expected, US operator Verizon Wireless announced the launch of its mobile TV service based on the Qualcomm MediaFLO platform on Monday. At the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Verizon’s new president and chief operating officer, Denny Strigl, unveiled the V CAST Mobile TV offering, which will launch within the next couple of months. […]

MediaFLO mobile TV to go live in US

MediaFLO, the mobile TV technology developed by Qualcomm, is expected to get its first commercial outing this weekend, when Verizon Wireless becomes the first operator to launch a service based on the system. The launch announcement is expected to come during a press briefing on Sunday at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Qualcomm […]

FLO wins TIA approval

MediaFLO USA, a division of US chipshop Qualcomm, announced that its Forward Link Only (FLO) mobile TV technology has won approval from the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA). The TIA has granted official approval for the FLO Air Interface Specification (AIS) in a move which is expected to accelerate the standardisation and delivery of MediaFLO-based services. […]