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March 21, 2005
3G Cellular Radio
Yet Another Form of Digital Radio: 3G Cellular
Orbitcast alerts us to the Next Next (Next) Big Thing: Radio over third-generation cellular (3G) data networks.
Virgin Radio is “broadcasting” two stations for free that
anyone with the right cellular phone can listen to by downloading a small application. The capable audience is nearly
15 million.
This is just the beginning, too, as hybrid cell phones that handle 3G and Wi-Fi will allow opportunistic networking in which if you’re streaming radio—or audio or video or downloading a file—a handset will switch from cellular to a cheaper or better or faster signal as it’s available.
3G is a worldwide phenomenon, although a little muted in the U.S. where a scarcity of spectrum has led to late deployments and initially high pricing. In South Korea, Japan, and parts of Europe, 3G is widely available, fast, and not terribly expensive. (In Europe, Wi-Fi is incredibly expensive, so 3G is a cost-effective alternative in many cases.)
Posted by roymond at March 21, 2005 02:54 PM