[BC] Mobile streaming - who needs IBOC?

[Mike]

The problem is the cost.  The phones aren't cheap and I don't know about 
where you are but for unlimited streaming service here you are adding 
$49.95 to the bill per month.  I'll take local and free over that any day.
Just my .02 worth
Mike

Goran Tomas wrote:
> I'm wondering what are the thoughts of respected ladies and gentlemen on 
> the topic of mobile streaming?
> 
> Let's take a look at the facts: 3G/UMTS cell phone network is here. 
> Mobile phones are steadily penetrating the market. Current technology in 
> use provides data throughoutput of 384 kbps. With current codecs like 
> aacPlus, this can be used for either high-bitrate streaming for 
> transparent (CD-quality) audio streaming, or low bitrate, low cost, 
> "entertainment" quality streaming. The HSDPA upgrade for 3G network that 
> is going commercial now, raises the bitrate bar to 1.8 Mbps. The final 
> data throughoutput will certainly reach 14Mbps, and possibly over 
> 20Mbps. Good enough for _any_ kind of streaming ;-)
> 
> GSM network is fairly robust, in mobile environment as well. I'm talking 
> cities here, that have sufficient number of base stations providing 
> coverage. As far as cost goes, some mobile operators are going flat rate 
> from the start (T-mobile in Great Britain, for example). At one point in 
> the future the service will certainly be flat rate, even if it isn't 
> right now.
> 
> So I'm wondering if this will be a viable alternative to IBOC?
> 
> Last week I had an opportunity to play with MDA Vario (Qtek 9000) 
> PocketPC/cell phone hybrid. It's not 3G/UMTS enabled, but supports EDGE 
> and GPRS. I installed an aacPlus player and connected to one of the 
> streams I'm running on Radio Student 
> (http://radiostudent.redirectme.net). I drove around town listening to 
> the stream without a single dropout or re-buffering. Later I connected 
> to one of the Boomer radio streams from Tuner2.com portal and enjoyed 
> soul classics from distant Florida while driving around Zagreb, also 
> without a single dropout :-) Bottom line is - this works! Even on EDGE 
> enhanced-network, let alone 3G/UMTS or HSDPA.
> 
> Mostly all mobile phones today have Bluetooth connectivity. But more 
> importantly, better car radios come with Bluetooth as well so you could 
> talk hands-free in your car. And it works very plug-n-play. You don't 
> even have to do anything. The radio automatically recognizes your mobile 
> phone and interrupts what you're listening when a calls come in, which 
> is then routed to car's audio system. You talk while your mobile phone 
> stays in your pocket. There's no reason why a Bluetooth connection 
> couldn't be used for playing audio from your mobile phone. Either audio 
> from phone's internal memory... OR streamed live from the network. When 
> you go to your office, you can connect your phone to your small 
> table-top radio or big sound system via Bluetooth as well.
> 
> So for a fixed monthly cost, only slightly higher than what you are 
> already paying your mobile service provider, you can listen to any 
> station, anywhere in the world, anywhere you happen to be on the cell 
> phone you are already carrying with you all the time. And, unlike IBOCs 
> 96kbps, 48bps, 32kbps (or even lower than that), this could easily and 
> soon be in true, 44.1kHz, 16 bit, linear, stereo digital quality!
> 
> I don't know, but it looks to me IBOC is about to face some pretty 
> advantageous and easy-to-use competition. The future of radio might very 
> well lie in delivery through mobile networks...
> 
> 
> Regards,
> Goran Tomas