Hands0n
6th September 2006, 07:49 AM
It had to happen - I hope that ITV go on to do this with other networks also. The only thing that bugs me is having to keep paying for the same content over different distribution mediums. Is that fair enough? One wonders.
LONDON (Reuters) - ITV said on Tuesday it has began broadcasting live programmes to mobile phones.
Although other broadcasters transmit some content to mobiles, the ITV deal with mobile network 3 is the first time live programming will be available on handsets, it said.
Last year Vodafone and satellite broadcaster Sky launched a range of mobile packages for customers while in June 2006 Channel 4 began simulcasts on the Internet. The BBC's foray into online simulcasts began with the World Cup this summer.
ITV said that, to begin with, adverts will not be shown on the mobile phone versions of ITV1 and ITV Play. Breaks will be filled with trailers for upcoming shows rather than ads.
However, advertising will appear at a later date once rights issues have been sorted out, an ITV spokeswoman said.
The broadcaster's simulcast service is available for customers of mobile network 3 at a price of 99 pence a day for ITV1 and 49 pence for ITV Play, with a five pounds charge a month for unlimited viewing of an 18 channel television pack.
A six month trial conducted earlier this year by BT and Virgin Mobile among 1,000 users found that 59 percent rated mobile television as appealing or very appealing, with users watching an average of 66 minutes a week.
Article source: Reuters UK (http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/articlenews.aspx?type=internetNews&storyID=2006-09-05T140445Z_01_L05436251_RTRIDST_0_OUKIN-UK-LEISURE-ITV-MOBILES.XML)
LONDON (Reuters) - ITV said on Tuesday it has began broadcasting live programmes to mobile phones.
Although other broadcasters transmit some content to mobiles, the ITV deal with mobile network 3 is the first time live programming will be available on handsets, it said.
Last year Vodafone and satellite broadcaster Sky launched a range of mobile packages for customers while in June 2006 Channel 4 began simulcasts on the Internet. The BBC's foray into online simulcasts began with the World Cup this summer.
ITV said that, to begin with, adverts will not be shown on the mobile phone versions of ITV1 and ITV Play. Breaks will be filled with trailers for upcoming shows rather than ads.
However, advertising will appear at a later date once rights issues have been sorted out, an ITV spokeswoman said.
The broadcaster's simulcast service is available for customers of mobile network 3 at a price of 99 pence a day for ITV1 and 49 pence for ITV Play, with a five pounds charge a month for unlimited viewing of an 18 channel television pack.
A six month trial conducted earlier this year by BT and Virgin Mobile among 1,000 users found that 59 percent rated mobile television as appealing or very appealing, with users watching an average of 66 minutes a week.
Article source: Reuters UK (http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/articlenews.aspx?type=internetNews&storyID=2006-09-05T140445Z_01_L05436251_RTRIDST_0_OUKIN-UK-LEISURE-ITV-MOBILES.XML)