Apple TV (Nasdaq: AAPL), Google TV (Nasdaq: GOOG), Netflix (Nasdaq: NFLX) and others of their ilk are impacting more than cable and telco service providers; they're influencing the mobile wireless space.
MobiTV, seeing the writing on the wall and the content on the multiple screens, has expanded its services beyond mobile devices and into a TV Everywhere space via Internet-connected TVs, set-tops and personal computers. It's an interesting move for a service that's being threatened not only by OTT providers coming onto mobile devices, but by broadcasters who are working to do their own mobile digital TV (MDTV) thing. The mobile maven could have a built-in audience thanks to deals with AT&T (NYSE: T) as an iPhone app Sprint (NYSE: S) and Verizon (NYSE: VZ) where the service is a $10-a-month adder.
Mobi's top competitor--at least to some minds--has taken a different approach. Rather than fight, FLO TV is reportedly throwing in the towel. Word is spreading that the Qualcomm-backed service will shutter by the end of the year. The big question here--besides what happens to existing Verizon and AT&T subs who were paying about $15 a month for a package of cable channels available on their mobile phones--is what Qualcomm will do with the valuable spectrum on which it was running the service?
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