Verizon Wireless, the second-biggest U.S. mobile phone provider, launched television services on its phones, run by Qualcomm Inc. unit MediaFlo, in 20 U.S. markets on Thursday.
Verizon Wireless, a venture of Verizon Communications Inc. and Vodafone Group Plc, said it is charging $15 a month for the service, which includes eight channels that broadcast full-length TV shows to phones 24 hours a day
Quoted from Yahoo! Tech
Do you remember when a cell phone used to be for making phone calls? Cell phones have turned into miniature entertainment centers, and now you can add TV broadcast to Verizon’s offerings. While television shows have been available for download from places like iTunes, Verizon is taking it to the next level and will be sending broadcasting right to your cell phone.
The question comes in with distraction. While people now have things like video in their vehicles, generally in the back seat for children to watch while you’re driving, people can be watching television while they drive. This presents another distraction for drivers. It presents distraction for kids while in school. It also marks an age where we don’t have to sit home waiting to see a show that’s airing on television, because we may be able to take it with us on our cell phone.
I’ll be curious to see how popular the service is at $15. With the mainstream channels of CBS, NBC and ESPN available it isn’t an issue, but Fox shows some shows that may leave you uncomfortable with your younger children viewing such as Family Guy. MTV is another channel that will include a live feed, so what if want to block that channel from a teenager’s phone? They are also including Nickelodeon as well, while I’m not sure what kids that age are doing with phones in the first place. Price bundling will be an option, and other phone companies have said they will be launching something similar as well.
Time will tell, but what we are seeing is technology only broadens and goes further daily, with advances that we can carry in our pocket.
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