[3GScottishUser]

From The Inquirer (24/07/2006):

Users critical of mobile TV

IN A four-way shoot-out between four mobile TV offerings, Rok TV seized an impressive second – just five points behind Vodafone Live! and four points ahead of 3. Orange came last.

However, panellists failed to even realise that Rok was using 2.5G technology while the others were all 3G. That meant that 3 was actually rated worse for audiovisual quality even though its 3G service is much faster.

The research was carried out by Strategy Analytics last month (June). But with overall ratings of between 56-65 out 100, Strategy said this indicated that end users weren't particularly impressed by any of the services.

The company failed to explain the 'technical reasons' why participants hadn't been able to evaluate Orange TV properly. It is particularly embarrassing for MobiTV which powers [Hutchison] 3's offering.

The company has only just raised an extra $70 million in VC funding. By comparison to Vodafone and MobiTV, Rok TV is just a minnow – which is mainly why it lost out in the range of content .

Rok has struck deals for its patented TV technology with operators in Taiwan, Turkey, Thailand, South Africa, Brazil and Russia. The company claims it does particularly well with operators who have no '3G axe' to grind.

http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=33232

[Ben]

You have to laugh :p

Vodafone did quite rightly win. It's nice to hear MobiTV getting a bashing also, as they really are a 110% useless company with a 120% useless application :)

As for the unknown player Rok... if they can reliably stream mobile tv over 2.5G then that's fantastic. I can only assume that the extra bandwidth and lower latency of 3G would further improve the experience.

The real money has to be on Virgin's service though, when it launches. Using DAB radio frequencies to broadcast packets sounds like an excellent idea, not to mention that compatible handsets will also be able to receive DAB radio channels.

[3GScottishUser]

Yet more proof that 3G is only as good as what it delivers and out in pole position with their Sky line up is Vodafone. I had another look today at their pricing and its very keen with the two Sky packs at £5 a month each and you get the variety pack free if you buy both. The Variety pack is great value with ITN News, HBO, C4, GMTV (Live) and a couple of lifestyle offerings for just £3 a month. Anytime I have used it is has been very stable.

No messing about with vodafone either, everyone with a 3G phone can get all the channels. This makes orange and 3 look totally amateurish with 3 getting the wooden spoon as theiy have actually sold handsets that cant even support streaming video!!

Mobile TV has to be simple to understand and not full of conditions and exeptions with complex third party software installation etc etc.... Vodafone's simple integrated approach within Live! is an object lesson for the others, lets hope they have all taken note for future offerings.

[Hands0n]

Oh yes, Vodafone got it 100% right first time with their Live! TV packages. Great value that actually worked - subject to 3G network availability. And it worked very well indeed. I did not go beyond the free trial period as I really do not have the work/freetime pattern that would have me watching TV on the go. Perhaps if I ever returned to commuting on trains, or endlessly hanging around airport lounges for non-existent flights I might subscribe again. More fun than sticking pins in wax effigies of my favourite Parliamentarian.

I bought a one month sub of MobiTV when I was with 3. What a complete disaster that was. The most polite way of putting it is that MobiTV is "pants". it didn't work for 3, and it doesn't work for Orange either. Why these two mobile operators ally themselves to MobiTV is beyond me. Perhaps MobiTV have photographs of the network's chairman with a donkey!

Just to be clear, MobiTV is rubbish :D

[Alio]

I never tried MobiTv, coz I heard it was so crap......but I did try Vodafone's free Skytv trial thingy, when my wife got her new n70 and was well impressed with it......I may consider it again, but can't justify paying to watch sky on my phone, when I already pay for it at home.

It would be good if Vodafone could offer a discount price deal to existing customers of sky......then it wouldn't feel like you were paying for sky twice, "well not as bad anyway".

Hey just out of stupid interest and a bit off topic.......I wonder where things would stand if say.......someone with a Nokia n93 subscribed on Vodafone to say the sky sports package to watch footy........then went down to his local pub, got out his n93 and started to watch a footy match on it, then plugged his n93 output lead into the pub telly so the whole pub could watch it with him.......I'm sure I read somewhere that the n93 enables you to do this function.

Question is.......would the pub get done for showing sky footy.....even if the pub didn't own a sky box or dish? :p

I know it's a daft scenario. :D

[Ben]

Yes, lol. Surely the picture quality would be god-damn-awful?!

[Alio]

Yes, lol. Surely the picture quality would be god-damn-awful?!

You'd think so......but I think it's meant to be very good from what I have heard.......I would think you would need a consistant strong signal for it to look ok on the big screen though.........I might try it when I eventually get one! :D

If anyone else has tried it yet......let us know!