AT&T's MediaFLO mobile DTV service launches May 4

AT&T has finally given the exact date for its Mobile TV with FLO launch and how much subscribers should expect to pay, putting it a full year behind Verizon's establishment of its almost identical service, V CAST.

The Mobile TV announcement from AT&T came at the CTIA wireless trade show in March, where it disclosed the handsets that would be featured at launch time -- LG Vu and Samsung Access -- and anticipated a debut in April.

Just slightly falling behind schedule, AT&T has announced that Sunday, May 4, will see the launch of its Qualcomm MediaFLO-based TV system with subscription packages beginning at $13 per month.

AT&T Mobile TV will offer programming from CBS Mobile, ESPN Mobile TV, Fox Mobile, NBC2Go, NBC News2Go, Comedy Central, MTV, and Nickelodeon. While all of these channels are also available on Verizon's Mobile TV service, AT&T has secured exclusive content channels PIX and CNN Mobile Live.

PIX is a Sony Pictures Television property that offers films from the studio's back catalog played in full, and CNN Mobile Live is a 24-hour news station with live anchor coverage as well as mobile versions of CNN's most popular programs. Also, for the first 60 days of the service's life, access to concert performance channel CNCRT will be added.

The initial 58 launch markets for AT&T's new service include Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia, San Diego, Seattle and Washington, D.C. The basic unlimited package to Mobile TV costs $15 per month, and the $30/month "Mobile TV Plus" package will include unlimited Mobile TV, Web browsing on MEdiaNet, and CV mobile video.