Previous Story: NEC eyes Chinese 3G market with carrier equipment base
Next Story: Nokia Q4 profits fall on cut mobile phone prices

Windows Media goes mobile with Verizon
By Joris Evers

Verizon Wireless Inc. has selected Microsoft Corp.'s Windows Media format for its new V CAST mobile multimedia service, the companies said Wednesday.

Starting Feb. 1, Verizon's V CAST users will have access to audio and video clips encoded in Windows Media, Verizon and Microsoft said in a statement. Verizon announced the launch of its 3G (third-generation) network and the V CAST service earlier this month at the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

While other mobile operators offer Windows Media players on their handsets, Verizon is the first to offer a multimedia service based entirely on Windows Media technology, said Neil Sharma, a business development manager at Microsoft. Competitors in the space include RealNetworks Inc. and Apple Computer Inc.

In addition to Microsoft's Windows Media technology, the V CAST service uses products from Microsoft partners ThePlatform for Media Inc. for encoding and delivering the content while PacketVideo Corp. supplied the player for the handsets, Sharma said.

To use the V CAST service, Verizon customers need a special handset. Three handsets that support the service will be available beginning Feb. 1: the LG VX8000 from South Korea's LG Electronics Inc., which was used in tests of the service in San Diego and Washington, D.C., and phones from Samsung Telecommunications America LLP and UTStarcom Inc.

The V CAST service will cost US$15 on top of the regular calling plan and offer access to more than 300 daily updated video clips from providers including MTV Networks, News Corp., 20th Century Fox and broadcaster NBC Universal, Verizon has said.

Posted January 27, 2005 04:43 PM | TrackBack (0)