RSSVerizon to Stream TV, Games to Phones
By Ed Oswald and Nate Mook | Published January 7, 2005, 2:15 PM
Verizon announced "VCast," a new high-speed wireless multimedia and video service, at CES on Friday. For $15.00 USD per month, customers will be able to access over 300 videos optimized for the company's new CDMA EV-DO network. The new service distances Verizon from its rivals in terms of "next generation" wireless services.
The company says that its EV-DO network will support speeds of between 300 and 500kbps, roughly as fast as a low-grade DSL connection. However, trials have shown that real world speeds are less than what Verizon claims, Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. analyst Brian Modoff said in a report last September.
Verizon told reporters that VCast will go live on February 1 in 32 of the company's largest markets that already support the EV-DO network. "3G is here," Verizon Wireless CEO Denny Strigl said in a statement. "This is not a plan for services on the horizon, this is about now."
Launching with VCast are three new phones that will support the EV-DO standard, from LG, Samsung and UTStarcom - formerly the wireless division of Audiovox. LG's phone, dubbed the VX-8000, will offer a 1.3 megapixel camera with a 10x digital zoom, as well as the capability to capture and send 15-second videos with sound.
VCast programming will be available through the GetItNow store and will feature video content from FOX, VH1 and Comedy Central cable channels. Also available to VCast subscribers will be new 3D games through the service's getGAMES section.
For those not in Verizon's top markets, the company promised that its 3G network will double in size during the year. "We will deploy our 3G network -- our BroadbandAccess and VCast service areas -- to cover 150 million Americans by the end of 2005."
The only problem is that Verizon's Customer Agreement currently states: "Unlimited NationalAccess/BroadbandAccess cannot be used for uploading, downloading or streaming of movies, music or games."
I don't know how they could ever enforce that. In fact, how could you define "movie"? What about a business presentation which involves video clips? The Incredibles is a movie. Does that mean any animation is a movie? If so, then you can't watch a Flash animation? If a Flash banner ad automatically starts when you hit a page, are you supposed to disconnect immediately?
I suspect Verizon is really just trying to reserve the right to analyze your traffic if you're moving an usually high volume, and to block the typical P2P ports if they find evidence of common file types like mp3, mpg, etc. being transferred. Easy enough for a knowledgeable user to evade, but I guess it's enough to nail the average Joe.
But back to VCast. Verizon is going to have to change their language, but will they allow streaming movies from all sources or just from VCast? If they tie to VCast, that ought to be illegal.
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