Europe
: The Mobile Media Company announced an agreement with UK-based
Rubberduck Media Lab Limited to provide live, streaming television
to mobile channels and wireless devices worldwide.
"Working
with Rubberduck is another step in our continued commitment to the
future of mobile interactivity and the evolution of the 4th entertainment
screen--the wireless device," says Karsten Hauge, CEO of The
Mobile Media Company AS.
Building on
Mobile Media's extensive international network of media, broadcast,
and mobile operator partnerships, Rubberduck will deliver its 2.5
and 3G supported downloadable content and streaming video to millions
of Mobile Media wireless subscribers. Through Rubberduck's services,
media companies can manage their own content and live feeds, or
take advantage of Rubberduck's complete range of services, including
live encoders and hosted solutions.
"Our mission
is to enable media companies and broadcasters to launch, operate,
and generate revenue by reaching people on the move at any time,"
says Gavin Whyte, Managing Director of Rubberduck Media Lab. "Since
our service utilizes software already pre-installed in most 2.5
and 3G phones, users can view our clients services, whether they
are live or pre-recorded, and in turn provide the largest reach
possible to video mobile phone subscribers within a client's market."
Mobile Media
and Rubberduck Media Lab are partnering to test wireless TV in North
America. Both companies in discussion with leading international
broadcasters to launch mobile TV channels and services in the first
quarter of 2005.
Now operating
in the Scandinavian market, Rubberduck's streaming video service
brings live television content to wireless subscribers through NRK,
a live mobile TV channel. Rubberduck and NRK were first in Europe
to offer live television content via all networks. The carrier-independent
service supports the 3GP standard for mobile TV, and enables owners
Norwegian mobile video phone owners to watch NRK programs, without
having to install additional software products or players.
A Yankee Group
2004 Mobile User Survey (USA) of the Young Adult Segment found 24%
of users saying they are prepared to pay to view live TV on their
mobile phones, compared to 22% for music, and 12% for short video
clips.
"Our partnership
with Rubberduck means we're poised to deliver TV programming to
the wireless mass-market," says Steinar Svalesen, Executive
Vice President and General Manager of Mobile Media North America.
"Downloadable content and streaming video services are turning
the corner, and we believe 2005 will bring significant growth in
the North American market. This partnership accelerates our ability
to lead the way in this new mobile wireless era."
About Mobile
Media
The Mobile Media
Company AS (www.mobilemedia.com) is a global provider of wireless
provisioning and content solutions, interactive entertainment services
and mobile marketing applications. Mobile Media works with leading
industry players and a wide-range of customers including mobile
carriers, broadcasters, media companies and major consumer brands.
The Company was founded in 1993 to pioneer mobile messaging services
and technologies and since then, has become a fast developing, multi-media
organization with over 200 employees.
The
Mobile Media Company AS serves customers in over 30 countries, with
mobile connectivity to more than 500 million subscribers in both
the mature and developing markets of Asia, Europe, and North America.
The Company is headquartered in Oslo, Norway, with offices and technology
development centers in the UK, Romania, China, and the USA.
About Rubberduck
Media Lab
Rubberduck Media
Lab is a technology company specializing in developing and integrating
state-of-the-art solutions for clients who wish to enable content
and services to be delivered over mobile networks. The company was
started by key members of the mobile division of the Norwegian Broadcasting
Corporation (NRK).
The company
has delivered live television programming and on-demand multi-media
content to mobile devices since early 2004. They have relationships
with major broadcasting networks in Scandinavia and the USA, network
operators in Europe and the USA, and leading content providers worldwide.
Rubberduck Media Lab was the only streaming partner for the Telenor
(Norway) 3G launch in November 2004. They have current relationships
with the following companies, including NRK, Nextreaming, Sprint,
Fox, Telenor, and 2.
Rubberduck Media
Lab is a major player in the delivery and advancement of technology
solutions to network operators and broadcasters, as well as a provider
of service provision solutions to content providers and second tier
networks and broadcasters.
The company's
management is experienced in mobile and television technologies,
with a strong track record in mobile content brands and the streaming
of high quality live TV over GPRS and 3G networks. The management
team has been heavily involved in the recent floatation of a leading
mobile content provider on Alternative Investment Market (U.K.).