Wireless Commercial Video and Television Broadcasting and Multicasting: A Fuzzy Picture

This IDC Insight compares and contrasts the anticipated MediaFLO USA and Crown Castle Mobile Media video and TV broadcast/multicast networks, expected to be commercially available in 2006. Although there appear to be profound differences between these networks as planned, there are also several similarities. The core focus of this document is to consider the cell phone–oriented implications of these networks, although other connected consumer electronics devices could also leverage such services.

A variety of daunting challenges must be overcome before either network can be brought to market. IDC anticipates significant demand for such services in the longer term, but our conclusion is that neither of these networks, at launch, will be in a position to deliver on the "hype" that has been floated in the past year. This document explores why broadcast/multicast networks are unlikely to find broad wireless subscriber adoption through 2009.