AT&T has just become the latest carrier to offer customers mobile television joining the likes of Verizon and Sprint.
"You know, everything's integrated now in terms of MP3 players and others things, like push-to-talk, web, everything's in your phone," said Maurice Allgood of AT&T. "So instead of going out and buying new devices, you have one whole device in your hand to talk, for entertainment, go online and view other things."
So far, though, people are not rushing out to buy the required higher-end cell phones and paying the additional $15 a month for the service.
"Is it because people don't want to watch TV on their phones or because the quality and channels offered aren't good enough yet?" asked Sascha Segan of P.C. Magazine. "Well these new systems are really good quality. They may still not have the channels though, that's the big question."
AT&T and Verizon are both using a system called Qualcom MediaFLO, which basically works over an old UHF channel sending down 10-12 channels of digital television. The result is similar to basic cable, with users getting Comedy Central, ESPN, some NBC programs, and some Fox programs. Both AT&T and Verizon offer two exclusive channels.
AT&T has just become the latest carrier to offer customers mobile television joining the likes of Verizon and Sprint.
Sprint, on the other hand, is streaming TV channels over the Internet, in addition to lots and lots of programming, literally dozens of channels. The disadvantages to the Sprint option are the pricing packages, which are very confusing, and the programs, which are choppy and tend to pause to reload.
This only seems to be the first step in a future of television programs for cell phones. Wireless carriers hope one day to allow users to connect their phones to their cable boxes. Moreover, the Dish Network is also testing out ways for bringing its satellite TV service to the small screen.