IP Democracy: Sprint-Nextel, Cable Operators Team on "Third Screen"

It’s finally official — Sprint-Nextel and four cable operators have teamed on a broadband wireless service that will give cable the ability to add mobile voice to its product mix and to deliver broadband content and applications to wireless phones. The new joint venture, which is mutually exclusive for three years (although the venture expects more cable operators to sign up) and has a 20-year term, will be backed by $200 million in funding, $100 million from Sprint and $100 million from the four cable companies - Comcast, Time Warner, Cox and Advanced/Newhouse collectively.

On top of enabling cable operators to offer “quadruple play” packages of video, high-speed data, landline and mobile voice serivces, the joint venture will develop new mobile devices to connect the cable cusgtomers to Sprint’s EV-DO network and integrate products from each company. The converged services envisioned include the ability to interface between email, home and mobile voicemail, DVRs and photo programs. (A demo of the prototype advanced services is at http://64.207.132.216/).

The demo shows a Sprint “TV Phone” that enables the viewing of video programs, including sports and news clips, as well as programs recorded on the customer’s PVR. It also features the ability to set PVR recording, retrieve email and check voice mail. The companies plan to develop even more advanced wireless services that can be delivered using Sprint’s broadband spectrum (2.5 GHz).

The companies are hosting a press conference at New York’s Hotel Plaza Athenee today at 1:00 to offer more details.

Posted by Cynthia Brumfield on November 2, 2005 7:11 AM to IP Democracy