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March 03, 2005
World's first 3G Phone Radio - Satellite's next big competitor?
Could this be Satellite Radio's next big competitor? Virgin Radio has become the first station to broadcast globally over 3G phones. The technology from Sydus mobile streaming services has made this possible, no matter where you are; Tokyo, Toronto or Chicago, if there is a wireless signal, there shall be music.
A free download from Virgin Radio UK, Sydus' software will install an application icon to your supported mobile phones desktop. From there you can tune into Virgin Radio (rock and pop), or two new digital stations: Virgin Radio Groove and Virgin Radio Classic Rock - all for free.
The service is compatible on thirty 2.5G and 3G handsets currently on the market using Series 60 or the Symbian UIQ platform. Currently, over 14.9 million consumers across the globe can tune in to this new service. Damn, that's instantly a larger customer-base than XM or SIRIUS have combined.
Still, it's not all doom-and-gloom yet. Satellite radio could soon hit your cell phone, or many other portable devices (such as PDAs or iPods) with new patent-pending technology by Calypso Wireless. Calypso has come up with a solution based on their ASNAP (Automatic Switching of Network Access Points) technology that can allow your mobile wireless device to receive satellite broadcasts from either satellite transmitters or WiFi.
And now, the real cool stuff. According to George Schilling, President and Chief Executive Officer of Calypso Wireless, Inc:
"Subscribers would no longer have to worry about weak or lost satellite radio signals when they go into buildings as long as there is an available broadband network or WiFi access point that their mobile radio or device equipped with Calypso's technology could jump synch with, making a seamless jump from their provider's satellite. This could be a major move for the industry."
Game on!
March 3, 2005 12:29 PM
Comments
Nothings free. It cost them money to provide this service. They will recoup the cost (and profit) either through advertising or an increase in service fees.
Content is important also, between fm, xm, and sirius, sports and talk personalities are locked up.
furthermore, according to Mel, we are all under estimating the future size of the sat rad audience. He's thinking in the hundreds of millions (with new car sales providing the growth). So, if what he says is true I don't see either service having an advantage there.
I see this as more of a gimmick to sell more 3g phones. 4 radio stations is not going to put a dent in FM, let alone sat rad.
Posted by: Monmin at March 3, 2005 03:45 PM
Hmm nothing new here I streamed bbc radio1 to my audiovox thera years ago. Of course back then I said it would be the next big thing for radio.
Posted by: dave at March 6, 2005 08:06 PM
