 |
Mobile Entertainment & Commerce
...the analyst view
Special Edition Twenty Eight - 25th July 2007 |
|
|
|
Welcome to a Special Edition of ContentFutures
 Whilst Paul is off sunning himself in Barbados this week, we thought we would ask in a favour from an old friend...
Esteemed readers, this weeks edition of ContentFutures is written by Juniper Research’s Principal Analyst, Dr Windsor Holden.
As this is a special edition, Dr Windsor Holden has also agreed to answer any questions you may have. So, please feel free to challenge him by emailing to windsor.holden@juniperresearch.com
Dr Windsor Holden Principal Analyst
Dear Industry Executive
Mobile standards – a decision for players, not regulators
Last week’s announcement by the EC telecoms commissioner, Vivianne Reding, that the Commission would endorse (and possible mandate) the use of DVB-H as the standard for mobile broadcast TV services across member states has understandably met with a cool reception by supporters of alternative standards.
It is difficult to find fault with Dr Kamil A. Grajski, FLO Forum President, when he states that ”there is a reason why the principle of technology neutrality exists and that is to ensure that the market can choose which technology delivers the most attractive solution for the consumer.”
When all is said and done, the deployment of a mobile TV network is a high risk venture, whatever the underlying standard. Each of the standards has its own strengths, its own weaknesses. While the EC’s announcement was doubtless made with the best intention – that a common standard would accelerate the deployment and launch of services – it is fundamentally flawed, in that it will dictate company policy from afar without due consideration of the micro-economic factors that impact upon companies at a national level.
There are mobile operators, vendors and broadcasters who believe, rightly or wrongly, that DVB-H would not be the most efficient standard for them and who would prefer to deploy one of the competing technologies. Having conducted a cost-benefit analysis, they may feel that it may not be financially viable to deploy a DVB-H network, but that utilising a different standard would (for example) result in less outlay on licence fees and infrastructure and greater profitability. That should be their decision, and their decision alone; it should not be made by bureaucratic fiat.
Yours
Sign up today |
 |
MediaFLO triumphs in the US as Crown Castle writes off Modeo
The EC may have mandated DVB-H as the mobile broadcast TV standard in Europe, but in the US prospects for a network launch based on the technology now seem remote.
Crown Castle, which had paid $13m for 5MHz of spectrum nationwide and was in the process of rolling out a DVB-H based mobile TV network, has announced that it is to write off the assets (other than spectrum) of its mobile TV business Modeo. The spectrum will now be leased for $13m per year until 2013 to a joint venture between Telcom Ventures LLC and Columbia Capital LLC.
Crown Castle’s exit from mobile TV leaves Qualcomm as the sole operator of a mobile TV network in the US. Modeo – which had launched a beta service in December 2006 – had been beaten to the market by Qualcomm’s MediaFLO, which launched as part of Verizon’s VCAST package in January 2007 and is scheduled to be rolled out to AT&T customers later in the year.
 Comment |  Forward to a Friend
|
 |
Smart launches first Filipino mobile broadcast TV network
On the more positive side for DVB-H, Filipino mobile operator Smart Communications has launched a commercial service based on the standard. The service – branded myTV – is the first mobile broadcast TV service in the Philippines and allows subscribers with compatible handsets to view channels including CNN, Basketball TV, MTV Philippines, Jack TV, Cartoon Network, National Geographic, the History Channel, Solar Sports and Pinoy Box Office.
It will be free of charge until August 31, after which time a monthly fee of PHP488 ($10.85) will be imposed. It will initially be be availabe in Mega Manila, Cebu, Davao, Tagaytay, Batangas and Baguio City, and will be rolled out to Cagayan de Oro and Boracay later in the year.
Smart Communications has been partnered in the venture by broadcast company 360media Corp., a subsidiary of MediaQuest Holdings, which will invest $50m over three years. Smart’s contribution to the venture is unknown.
Comment | Forward to a Friend |
 |
Nokia signs up Digital Chocolate for N-Gage
Nokia has announced that the San Mateo, California-based mobile games developer Digital Chocolate has signed up to publish a variety of titles for its N-Gage platform now scheduled to launch during Q4 2007.
Under the terms of the agreement, Digital Chocolate will publish its DChoc Café series of games, which include casual card, board and puzzle games, with features which allow players to create customized characters, earn prizes and make game recommendations.
Nokia has already signed up a number of content providers for the platform, including Glu Mobile, Indiagames and THQ Wireless. It has also been reported that another games company – RedLynx – is developing a cross-platform demonstration game, provisionally titled Project White Rock, which is designed to run on both the N-Gage platform and PCs.
|
 |
Ubisoft sells Gameloft stake
Videogame publisher Ubisoft has sold its 18.9% stake in the mobile games publisher Gameloft to Calyon, Crédit Agricole Group's Corporate and Investment Bank for EUR81.3m ($112.3m). The sale price was EUR6.08 ($8.40) per share, based on Gameloft’s closing share price on July 12, 2007.
Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot said his company had decided to sell the Gameloft stake “to focus on Ubisoft's expansion and strengthen our ability to seize all such growth opportunities”. He added that Ubisoft and Gameloft would continue to collaborate “at a purely operational level, particularly concerning the utilization of Ubisoft's brands on mobile phones”.
Gameloft is one of the largest mobile games publishers: the company has a distribution network in 75 countries, and Q1 2007 sales of EUR22.7m ($31.4m), up by 54% year-on-year.
|
 |
Spin3 supplies GameWire solution to Casino.dk
Danish online casino Casino.dk has confirmed that it will be moving into the mobile environment after it announced that the Israel-based Spin 3 was providing it with an interactive gambling platform on mobile and online flash channels.
In addition to its GameWire wireless casino system – including games such as BlackJack, Roulette and Tomb Raider Video Slot - and an online flash casino in two languages, Spin3 is also providing Casino.dk with a range of associated services and solutions, including a 24/7 customer support option.
The announcement comes as Casino.dk’s parent company Casinocontanter.com (Danish-owned, but based in Malta) announced that it was closing sister site Casino Nordico to focus on what it termed were its core brands, namely Casino.dk and the Danish “poker portal” Pokernordica.com. Only days earlier, the company had indicated that Casino Nordica would be developed into English to expand its user base, although this plan has now been jettisoned.
|
 |
Phling! goes live in Switzerland
A partnership between the Cambridge, Massachussetts-based Oxy Systems and media company Edipresse Switzerland will see Oxy System’s mobile music social networking service phling! offered across all three Swiss mobile networks on a commercial basis. The service launch comes after phling! had been beta tested by Swisscom Mobile customers during Q4 2006.
Launched in Switzerland to coincide with the Montreux Jazz Festival and Paleo Nyon Festival, subscribers to the phling! service, in addition to accessing their own PC-based music, will be able to rate and recommend songs, find the most played songs, discover what friends are listening to, and browse the mobile phling! community, from their mobile handset.
The service will cost subscribers CH7 ($5.80) per month and includes all associated mobile data charges, and can be accessed via a short code number.
|
|
|
|
Telecoms World Middle East
18 – 21 November 2007 Dubai, UAE
With over 400 attendees expected from over 55 key regional carriers, operators and ISPs Telecoms World Middle East is the region’s world class telecommunications summit.
Telecoms World Middle East brings you the most challenging CEO level case studies and panel discussions, outlining how the Middle East’s leading fixed and mobile operators will overcome challenges. Build success at the Middle East’s key strategic telecoms summit.
|
|
|
|
Strategy & Planning Project Co-ordinator
Location: Sydney Metro, NSW
Salary: $51,000
Working with a recognised Telco. the Strategy & Planning Project Co-ordinator position is a 12 month fixed term contract, working within the Call Centre Strategy and Planning area.
The successful candidate will be responsible for: Providing robust and comprehensive support to the National Manager, and to the Strategy & Planning Team. This invloves the collation of data, facilitating workshops; management of key milestones for programs; the preparation of communications, spreadsheets, periodic reviews, the research and preparation of presentations, and manage the financials for the Strategy & Planning team including budgeting and forecasting.
If you have strong communication skills and can anticipate difficulties and identify contingency plans then please apply by contacting Fabiola Mougios on: 02 9220 6914 or click here for more details.
|
|
|
|
Glu Announces Extended Partnership With PopCap Games
Glu Mobile Inc. has announced an agreement with PopCap Games, a developer and publisher of casual games, to extend the companies’ multi-year, worldwide partnership to publish three of PopCap’s most popular games, Zuma, AstroPop and Insaniquarium for the mobile platform.
Under the terms of the agreement, Glu will continue to publish these mobile titles to new handsets and a growing list of operators around the world. Glu developed and published the mobile adaptation of Zuma in early 2005. AstroPop launched on mobile later in 2005 and Insaniquarium in early 2006. Glu has deployed the titles throughout the world through its partnerships with more than 150 carriers and distribution partners in 65 countries.
“PopCap has pioneered the online casual game space and was one of the first online developers to recognize that mobile is a logical extension for online titles and would be key to extending consumer awareness and adoption,” said Jill Braff, senior vice president of global publishing, Glu. “We’ve seen both commercial and critical success in the games we’ve published for mobile, and we look forward to continued success with bringing these great games to a growing global audience of mobile gamers.”
I-play Brings ‘FIA World Rally Championship’ to Mobile for 1st Time
Mobile entertainment company I-play has signed a global deal with the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC), to bring the licence to a mobile games audience for the first time. The game is set to launch in the fourth quarter of this year across North America, Europe and Asia Pacific.
The 2D version of the game is being developed by I-play’s internal team and the 3D version by I-play’s developer partners at Firemint. Both games will be distributed globally across I-play’s extensive network.
Leighton Webb, SVP of Content Strategy & Licensing for I-play, commented: “The World Rally Championship is one of the most dynamic and challenging motorsports imaginable. Mobile gamers will be able to experience the dangerous and gruelling nature of the racing sport under every weather condition possible as they aim to master the rally circuits to become the ultimate champion in this authentic mobile iteration of the World Rally Championship.”
Price: £1490 (Single User) £1990 (Multi User) £2990 (
Enterprise Wide)
Providing an in depth analysis of the payment and mobile industries current and future strategies, the Mobile Payments: Strategies and Markets report projects the most comprehensive regional market data obtainable to date.
With a detailed forecasting suite predicting changes in the market until 2011, this report provides the complete analysis of the opportunities available for mobile operators, credit card networks, banks, vendors, handset manufacturers, chip manufacturers and hardware providers.
|
| If you would like to promote your product or service in this newsletter please email: marketing@contentfutures.com |
|
ContentFutures.com is a publication of Juniper Research Limited
Sign up today: http://www.contentfutures.com/subscribe.htm
|
|
We have sent this mail to you because we believe you will find it to be of genuine professional relevance. If however you would rather not receive emails of this nature from ContentFutures in the future, click here to remove yourself from further mailings. If you have any problems removing yourself from this list or wish to report any unwanted emails please contact marketing@contentfutures.com |
| © 2007 Juniper Research Limited ® All rights reserved | |