Rogers, Bell Offer Cellphone TV

From our neighbors to the north, The Globe and Mail writes that Canadian carriers Rogers Wireless and Bell Mobility are rolling out mobile TV services to their customers. The article cites research from In-Stat last month that states demand for mobile TV is not ready for primetime due to lack of consumer demand.

According to the article, pricing for the services will be $25 a month for Rogers and $10 a month plus browser airtime charges for Bell, a costly proposition for users especially if they need to upgrade their handset.

Commenting on the high pricing, Lawrence Surtees of IDC Canada said "At this price, it may keep it more a niche, but that being said, some of the initial content is on the right path for where [wireless services are] heading globally."

Content will be critical. With Rogers only offering eight channels at launch, the $25 monthly fee will probably continue to dampen demand for mobile TV and deliver minimal increases in ARPU for at least the short term...