Qualcomm Confirms It Will Cease FLO TV Consumer Service Company Expects To Maintain Service Through Spring 2011
By Todd Spangler Multichannel News 10/5/2010 4:29:09 PM http://www.multichannel.com/article/458095-Qualcomm_Confirms_It_Will_Cease_FLO_TV_Consumer_Service.php Qualcomm is throwing in the mobile TV towel. The San Diego company said it has stopped selling FLO TV direct-to-consumer devices and expects to maintain the service for existing customers only through the spring 2011. Qualcomm's statement Tuesday follows a report by PaidContent.org that Qualcomm would shut down the service by the end of 2010. FLO TV Personal TelevisionQualcomm said it expects some layoffs to result from FLO TV's shutdown but that it is "working to redeploy impacted employees." The future of the mobile TV offerings from AT&T and Verizon Wireless -- which are delivered by FLO TV over the same 6-MHz slice in the 700-MHz band -- remained unclear. Qualcomm declined to provide additional information, and the wireless carriers would not comment. "We have been engaging in conversations with a wide range of partners for both the network and the spectrum," Qualcomm said, noting that it previously disclosed that it is examining "strategic opportunities" for the FLO TV unit. "We are seeing strong interest in using the FLO TV network or spectrum to capitalize on the growing imbalance between mobile data supply and demand, the growth of tablets, and consumer demand for high-quality video and print content, and a richer user experience." FLO TV had deals to carry more than a dozen channels, including CBS Mobile, CNBC, Comedy Central, Fox News Channel, MSNBC, MTV, NBC 2Go and Nickelodeon. The service cost about $15 per month from Qualcomm, AT&T and Verizon Wireless. Qualcomm added that in the event FLO TV is shut down the company will "make appropriate refunds, the details of which will be communicated prior to discontinuation." The company has spent more than $800 million building out FLO TV. In March 2008, the company acquired five E-block licenses in the Federal Communications Commission's 700-MHz spectrum auction for $554.6 million to increase FLO TV coverage. -- ================================================= George Antunes Voice (713) 743-3923 Associate Professor Fax (713) 743-3927 Political Science Mail: antunes at uh dot edu University of Houston Houston, TX 77204-3011 _______________________________________________ Medianews mailing list [email protected] http://lists.etskywarn.net/mailman/listinfo/medianews
