Qualcomm to build $800M U.S. wireless media network

It could be in place as early as 2006

By Stephen Lawson

November 2, 2004 12:00 PM ET

IDG News Service - Mobile multimedia content will get its own nationwide network in the U.S. by 2006 if an $800 million project by Qualcomm Inc. goes according to plan.
The San Diego-based wireless technology company, pioneer of CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access), plans to build towers around the country to beam music and video to several types of 3G (third-generation) handsets: CDMA2000-1x, 1xEV-DO and Wideband CDMA. The network will use 700-MHz radio spectrum for which Qualcomm already owns licenses, the company said in a statement yesterday.
Cellular operators expect mobile multimedia to be a key driver of 3G use. Qualcomm aims to save them the trouble and expense of building their own infrastructures for delivering those multimedia services.
Through a subsidiary called MediaFLO USA Inc., Qualcomm plans to offer the network as a shared resource for mobile operators and to provide interactive multimedia services in conjunction with the operators. In addition to aggregating and distributing content from TV stations and networks, cable and satellite operators and other providers, MediaFLO will integrate unique content that each cellular carrier would offer to distinguish itself from competitors, according to Qualcomm.
The use of spectrum in the relatively low-frequency 700-MHz band will allow MediaFLO to build a network with far fewer towers than are required for conventional cellular systems -- 30 to 50 times fewer towers, according to Qualcomm. The system will be based on Qualcomm's FLO (Forward Link Only) technology, and the company expects to start operating the network commercially in 2006. It will require about $800 million in investment, some of which may be funded by third parties, the company said.
Qualcomm plans to eventually spin off the MediaFLO business to its shareholders.
The MediaFLO network will be able to support 50 to 100 channels of national and local content, including as many as 15 live streaming channels in addition to ones featuring video clips and audio. Qualcomm expects to beat current mobile multimedia quality, offering audio in stereo and video in Quarter Video Graphics Array format at 30 frames per second, according to the statement.

Reprinted with permission from

IDG.net
Story copyright 2009 International Data Group. All rights reserved.

Recommend Digg Twitter ShareThis

Email Print Send Feedback Reprints

Additional Resources

POLL RESULTS

Leading IT Pros Weigh In on Top IT Issues

Accelerate your knowledge of the IT world you inhabit by viewing the results of a series of polls taken by your IT peers. These polls of 100+ IT professionals each are available for full viewing. They cover key topics such as virtualization, processor performance, green IT, cloud computing and many others. Be a part of the buzz.

WHITE PAPER

For Best Results, Think Beyond the Box

Technology is complex. Keeping it running productively shouldn't be. To that end, you want to minimize the number of solutions needed in-house to simplify operations, maintenance, and support. Kodak offers a best-practices model. One company provides support for both scanner and software, for fast problem resolution without vendor finger-pointing. Download now!

WHITE PAPER

Accelerating the Path to Demand Intelligence with a Demand Signal Repository

Utilizing demand intelligence improves the precision of pricing, product assortments, channel/store placement, and promotion, which are all essential for sustainable revenue management performance. Learn more, download this free whitepaper today.

White Papers & Webcasts

2007 Gartner Magic Quadrant Report
Riverbed positioned in Leaders Quadrant of Gartner Magic Quadrant for WAN Optimization Controllers. Analyzing strengths vs. cautions, Gartner helps organizations looking to acquire...

5 Best Practice Tips for Managing BlackBerry, iPhone, & Windows Mobile Devices
(Source: Zenprise) Mobile devices continue to proliferate across the enterprise, driven largely by the increase in worker productivity, efficiency, and flexibility they provide....

Forrester Consulting - Optimizing Users and Applications in a Mobile World
Are your workers going increasingly mobile? Don't wait for their calls to slam Support when they experience poor application performance on the road....

Managing Laptops Outside the Office
(Source: Absolute Software) In this webinar, learn how you can reduce costs by tracking mobile computers no matter where they are located. Featuring...

IT Best Practices: To Support or Not Support Consumer Owned Smartphones
Companies have historically standardized on a single smartphone platform. Of late, IT is facing pressure to support the increasing influx of consumer owned...

What Are 'Free' Remote Support Tools Really Costing You?
(Source: LogMeIn) In this webinar from LogMeIn, discover how "next generation" remote support tools are optimized to provide advanced capabilities like scripting, system...

Lennox Goes Mobile and Increases Service Performance by 50%
This white paper explains how Lennox remedied major system malfunctions with Aeroprise Mobility for BMC Remedy Service Desk on smartphones....

IT Strategies for Remotely Supporting a Distributed Workforce
(Source: Citrix Online) Today's workforce is a distributed one - workers across industries are telecommuting, working out of satellite offices and connecting into...

Realizing Rapid ROI Through Mobility
Companies are reaping the benefits from mobile CRM, field service and sales force automation processes with the latest Research In Motion (RIM) offerings....

Usability Is Everything
Learn what sets Workday's HR and Payroll solutions apart from the competition....

All White Papers | All Webcasts