FLO TV logo

MediaFLO is a technology to transmit video and data to portable devices such as mobile phones and personal televisions, used for mobile television. In the United States, the service powered by this technology is branded as FLO TV.

Broadcast data transmitted via MediaFLO includes live, real time audio and video streams, as well as scheduled video and audio clips and shows. The technology can also carry Internet Protocol datacast application data, such as stock market quotes, sports scores, and weather reports.^[1]

Overview

The "FLO" in MediaFLO stands for Forward Link Only,^[2] meaning that the data transmission path is one way, from the tower to the device. The MediaFLO system transmits data on a frequency separate from the frequencies used by current mobile telephone networks. In the United States, the MediaFLO system uses frequency spectrum 716-722 MHz, which was previously allocated to UHF TV channel 55.^[3][4]

FLO has been standardized within ETSI as TS 102 589^[5], and has components standardized within the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA 1099, 1102, 1103, 1104, 1120, 1130, 1132, 1146 and 1178.)

MediaFLO is a competitor to the Korean T-DMB, the Japanese 1seg and the European DVB-H standards.

Qualcomm is also conducting MediaFLO technical trials internationally, with the intention of forming partnerships with existing multi-channel content providers and service operators.

Technology

MediaFLO logo

The protocol was developed because of the inherent spectral inefficiency of unicasting high-rate full-motion video to multiple subscribers. Additionally, traditional analog television and over-the-air terrestrial digital television signals (DVB-T) were difficult to implement on mobile devices, due mostly to issues of power consumption. ATSC, used only by the United States and its neighbors, also has difficulty even with fixed reception due to multipath, and mobile ATSC-M/H (which is free-to-air from individual TV stations) was not finalized until 2008.

In addition, the transmission need not convey as high a resolution as would be needed for a larger display. MediaFLO streams are only 200-250 kbit/s, which would be insufficient for a larger screen size.^[6]

In the current United States implementation, FLO is transmitted by a network of high-power broadcast transmitters operating at effective radiated powers as high as 50 kilowatts. This allows for a coverage area of a transmitter to be as large as 30 to 40 kilometres (19 to 25 mi).^[6] The activation of many of these transmitters were delayed due to the official end of analog TV broadcasting on channel 55 being delayed.^[7] Immediately following the transition, the FLO network was expanded to several new markets, and coverage was enhanced in some existing ones.^[8]

The transmission is an encrypted OFDM set of QAM signals sent on a 5.55 MHz channel from 716-722 MHz (former UHF TV channel 55). The band was auctioned-off by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and known as the "Lower 700 MHz Block D".^[9] Qualcomm also bought, in a later auction, the use of former analog UHF TV channel 56 (722-728 MHz) in Boston, Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia and San Francisco for additional services; however, this is owned by Manifest Wireless (a subsidiary of Dish Network's Frontier Wireless) in most other media markets, where ATSC-M/H signals are on air. All of the transmitters send the same signal and use the same frequency, forming a single-frequency network. This allows the mobile to decode the signal from more than one transmitter in the same way that it might if it was a multipath-delayed version from the same transmitter.^[6] All stations use callsign WPZA237, but each has an identifier indicating its group and number. For example, one station in the metro Atlanta media market is ATL-006, while another is ATL-014.

Some other operational parameters of MediaFLO are as follows:

^[6]

All of the bearer (data) traffic occurs within an MLC using the 3500 non-overhead subcarriers. The protocol also contemplates a certain amount of inter-symbol time spacing, to allow for the effects of multi-path transmission and reception.

^[6]

There is a window time T_WGI included both before and after each OFDM symbol. However, since this window is shared between each two consecutive symbols, T_S = T_U + T_WGI + T_FGI.

Commercial roll-out

USA: FLO TV

In the U.S., all FLO television providers offer a set of 14 basic channels:

• 2.FLO (6 am to 10 pm) — Original made-for-mobile reports and concerts; added in early 2010
• Adult Swim (10 pm to 6 am)
• ABC Mobile
• CBS Mobile — Containing a mixture of sports and other CBS content
• CNBC
• Comedy Central
• ESPN Mobile TV — Frequently simulcasting live sporting events from their family of networks
• Fox Mobile
• Fox News Channel
• MTV Mobile
• MSNBC
• NBC 2Go — A mix of MSNBC, NBC, CNBC, and Bravo networks [1]
• Disney Channel
• Nickelodeon — 24/7 children's programming

Adult Swim time-shares with 2.FLO, as it does on cable TV with Cartoon Network.

Additionally, the "FLO Preview Channel" is a free-to-view barker channel, available without subscription.^[10]

For conditional access, Verizon Wireless utilizes its EVDO network to authenticate mobile handsets and provide the decryption keys necessary to decode the programming. Because of this, users who block data use to prevent unauthorized charge are also blocked from viewing any channels, including the preview channel.

There are currently 16 TV channels being broadcast for Verizon.^[11] The additional Verizon channels include:

• MTV Tr3́s
• TLC

There are currently 16 TV channels being broadcast for AT&T:^[12] The additional AT&T channels are:

• CNN Live Mobile*
• Crackle — showing a variety of movies*

The standalone FLO TV Personal Television and FLO TV Automotive products also include CNN Live Mobile and Crackle.

Trials

Some trials are underway in Japan, Hong Kong and Taïwan, with no commitment for a commercial phase. In France, Qualcomm is trying to convince TDF to choose MediaFLO technology.

Devices

Devices including MediaFLO were first introduced by LG and Samsung at CES 2006 in Las Vegas. On December 1, 2005 Verizon Wireless and Qualcomm announced partnership for the launch of the MediaFLO network, and Verizon launched the service commercially as part of its VCAST offering on March 1, 2007, marketing the MediaFLO-specific technology/service as "VCAST TV".^[13] A similar announcement was made by AT&T Mobility in February 2007.^[14] AT&T Mobility launched their MediaFLO service on May 4, 2008.^[15] The first non-phone TV-only devices were released in late 2009.^[16]

FLO TV was first offered on certain wireless phones offered by Verizon Wireless and AT&T Wireless.

In November 2009 FLO TV introduced the FLO TV Personal Television mobile device (model PTV-350). Measuring 3 inches by 4.4 inches by 0.5 inches and weighing just over 5 ounces, it has a 3.5 inch capacitive touchscreen. Users control the device with intuitive swipe gestures. The oleophobic glass lens keeps the 3.5-inch QVGA display crisp and clear. It was initially offered by Amazon.com, Best Buy, Radio Shack and select other retailers. As battery life is relatively long, offering five hours of viewing time and 300 hours on standby, the FLO TV Personal Television can be used for extended viewing or on long trips.

FLO TV is available on new cars through partnerships with certain car manufacturers, and can be integrated into a car's entertainment system. It can also be added to existing vehicles with systems that may be installed by professional installers. Vehicle systems are manufactured by Audiovox.

Future

Qualcomm CEO Paul Jacobs said the company plans to sell its MediaFLO business or its spectrum, or to find a partner. The company had predicted the total cost to launch the service would be $800 million, including the $683 million the San Diego Union-Tribune says Qualcomm paid for the spectrum. The service covers as many as 68 million people, but while Qualcomm will not share subscriber numbers, analysts say the company is doing poorly.

The spectrum could be used for electronic magazines or newspapers, though Qualcomm says such services could be offered along with TV. The Union-Tribune says that Qualcomm is asking software developers for possible solutions.^[17]

See also

• Mobile TV a term for the category of techniques
• DVB-H (Digital Video Broadcasting - Handheld)
• DVB (Digital Video Broadcasting)
• DMB (Digital Multimedia Broadcasting)
• DAB (Digital Audio Broadcasting)
• DRM (Digital Radio Mondiale)
• 1seg (mobile TV system on ISDB-T)
• Electronic program guide

References

External links

• FLO TV home page
• MediaFLO home page
• RabbitEars.Info MediaFLO Transmitter List