TV channels on your mobile phones

I am sure everyone knows, but for those who would like to brush up – Mobile VAS are the Value Added Services which are provided to the subscriber / users (people who use the cell phones, like you and I) by service providers (like Airtel / Vodafone etc).

There’s a lot of buzz in the industry around VAS cause it is supposed to be all about Mobile 2.0, with customized services & data, flexibility to book travel tickets on the move, user generated content (Reliance has mobile blogging) and is as of now dominated with the ABC of Astrology, Bollywood and Cricket.

While content providers are wondering how to market services through SMSs, gaming, searches on the mobile net, tiny blinking banners & small tickers running across the screen etc, Mobile TV via MTNL was launched in Delhi.

“We have tied up with a technology partner, who is carrying out the field trials. We would provide 21 channels,” MTNL Executive Director J Gopal said.

From what I have read - The handsets must be compatible with Symbian operating system, the phones must have at least 2MB of memory and have the Real Player application.

Whoa! Doesn’t that sound fun?!

I mean, next time we’re going out for dinner and the aunty wants to watch whatever happened to Tulsi when she slapped her 5th husband with tears in her eyes, all she has to do is look into her cell!
Same pinch if Chennai Super Kings and Kings XI Punjab are battling away while you’re stuck in a traffic jam on the way back home.

I wonder if cell phones will be made with a tiny CD drive or of we could just plug in a pen drive and watch a movie on the cell. Or are they already making such phones?!