Sprint and MobiTV Receive Primetime Emmy Engineering Award
Wed Aug 24, 2005 5:23 pm
Sprint and MobiTV, the global leader in providing live mobile television services and technology, today announced that both companies have won historic recognition: The Emmy Engineering Award for Outstanding Achievement in Engineering Development from The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Winning The Emmy Award for mobile television marks the first time the wireless industry has achieved such unique and high-profile recognition from the entertainment industry. MobiTV and Sprint were the first companies to put live mobile television in the hands of consumers.
"Companies like MobiTV and Sprint are changing the very definition of television," said Brian Seth Hurst, co-governor, Interactive Media Peer Group for the Television Academy. "This achievement is an eye-opener to the industry that lets television executives know their audiences are living on other devices. I believe MobiTV set the standard and started the race for mobile television."
Sprint was the first wireless carrier to dub the mobile phone as "the third screen" in a consumer's life - first being the television, second being the computer, and third being the wireless phone. Today, because of the partnership between MobiTV and Sprint, the first screen (television) has recognized the third (wireless) in a way that signals mainstream acceptance of a technology that came to the United States only two years ago.
"We are very excited that The Television Academy identified mobile TV as a significant driver in the advancement of television entertainment, and we are honored to have been recognized for our contributions in this new, exciting space," said MobiTV CEO and co-Founder, Phillip Alvelda. "We believe this recognition further demonstrates the incredible potential and significance of the mobile entertainment market."
Sprint's Vice President of Wireless Product Strategy Jeff Hallock echoed those sentiments by adding, "Winning an Emmy Award is certainly a first for a telecommunications provider."
"Sprint has a heritage of innovative firsts, and the Emmy Award is incredible recognition of our efforts to lead the industry in bringing new multimedia entertainment services to our customers," Hallock said. "Our partnership with MobiTV has continued to grow beyond delivering live television as we continue developing a rich portfolio of mobile television content, such as Sprint TVSM. Sprint customers use their wireless phones more often and for more things than the customers of any other wireless company - and our multimedia services are no exception."
Giving customers the choice and flexibility to be entertained on the go with television in the palm of their hands is one more indication that the entertainment industry is recognizing wireless as a new and unique channel of distribution. The partnership between entertainment and the mobile industry has been building momentum - beginning with master-recorded ringtones, personalized screen savers, games and more. Now, advanced high-speed data networks, more sophisticated applications such as live TV, and digital-quality audio and multimedia services are turning handsets into portable media centers, providing entertainment virtually anytime and anywhere.
Groundbreaking services like MobiTV have contributed to strong data revenue for wireless carriers (Sprint's being the industry's highest - contributing more than 10 percent to its total average revenue per user in the second quarter of 2005). Further, mobile television provides an exciting new distribution outlet for producers, and has fueled a new industry of made-for-mobile TV production.
MobiTV and Sprint sparked the initial demand for television on-the-go by launching the first-ever live mobile television delivery service in November 2003. The two companies have continued their pioneering efforts, together introducing Sprint TV, a live and video-on- demand service for Sprint PCS VisionSM Multimedia Phones.
Nearly two years since its launch, MobiTV continues to lead the market and has quickly become the television standard on mobile devices. The service currently offers more than 25 channels of both live and made-for-mobile content directly to the customer's handset. The service is as easy to use as a TV remote control and works with more than 30 Sprint PCS Vision-enabled handsets. On Sunday, Sept. 11, 2005, the Creative Arts Awards program will be pre-taped and aired in a two-hour special on Sept. 17 at 7:00 p.m. on E! Entertainment Television.
