One of the most interesting announcements to come out of last week's mammoth Consumer Electronics Show wasn't made by an electronics manufacturer. While everyone's attention was focused on 60-inch Samsung plasma televisions and Media Center PCs, Verizon Wireless announced that it will double its 3G (third-generation) footprint and launch the nation's first 3G video service.
Effective Feb. 1, Verizon will expand its BroadBandAccess 3G service to 12 additional cities -- including Chicago and Houston -- bringing the total to 32 cities, or a third of its subscribers. More important, Verizon announced the nation's first 3G service, which it's calling VCast. For an additional $15 a month, VCast subscribers will have the opportunity to choose from 300 video feeds that are updated daily, giving them cell-phone access to breaking news stories or sports highlights. At launch, Verizon subscribers will have a choice of three handsets, one each from Audiovox, LG, and Samsung.
The announcement was clearly calculated by Verizon to put its competitors at Cingular and Sprint on notice. In fact, if you listened closely enough, you probably could have caught Verizon execs whispering, "Can you hear us now?" Not happy about losing its spot as the nation's largest carrier when AT&T Wireless and Cingular merged last year, Verizon has been aggressively touting its 3G network ever since. While both Cingular and Sprint scramble to expand their own networks -- Cingular operates a 3G network in six cities, Sprint in none -- Verizon will be honing its offerings and getting subscribers hooked on high-speed data services.
Of course, that will happen only if Verizon can provide compelling content. To that end, MTV Networks announced on Friday that it will tailor some of its programming and even produce original "made for mobile" content in conjunction with Verizon's launch. With content from VH1 and CMT, Verizon will have the first 3G wireless music entertainment programming available for users in the United States. "Wireless content will play an increasing role in consumers' lives," says Van Toffler, MTV Networks group president. "We will extend MTV's reputation for creating compelling programming into the wireless world."
Which raises an all-important question: Does the average consumer actually want to access video content via mobile phone? Sure, mobile video services are all the rage in Korea and Japan, but plenty of services that were popular in Asia have failed in the United States. Meanwhile, Sprint has been offering a broadcast of CNN and other stations for mobile phones for nearly a year with little success. This is a critical point. Repurposing traditional television broadcasts for cell phones is not the answer -- I can think of few things less enjoyable than trying to watch the nightly news on a 1-inch screen. For Verizon's VCast to succeed, it will have to offer consumers something truly compelling. That might mean short broadcasts of the latest Norah Jones video to some, highlights of last night's Yankees game to others. But it has to be something altogether unique.
AI
