Slashdot Mirror
Virgin Radio Launches 3G Radio Service
An anonymous reader writes "Virgin Radio, one of UK's top radio stations, has launched the first 3G radio service for free (as in beer). This is great news for those with a Symbian equipped phone and an unlimited data plan. Various articles suggest that mobile radio could be a major threat to satellite radio. Russell Beattie and friends have had an initial look and commented on the program."
As stated in the Wall Street Journal, Virgin actually attempted to acquire Sirus radio early in 2004, however they could not settle on an amount and the deal fell through. This must be Virgins plan to twart satellite radio, and maintain their hold on the communications market. XM and Sirus should merge to stay competitive in the market and drop their prices. Only time will tell where they go with this one.
Want to learn about anything sexual? Check out the sex wiki:
I'm glad the station was launched "for free (as in beer)", as opposed to, erm, "for free (as in speech)".
Forbes recently had an article about how Verizon was planning a similar service. I find this really interesting because I heard a couple of reports on C-NBC today talking about how Verizon has been in private talks with Virgin about a technology license. The pundits seem to believe that verizon is trying to get a license from Virgin to carry their content on the verizon network.
I think that this would actually be a really smart strategy for Virgin to employ. Think about it, Virgin not only gets the advertising for it first and everyone begins to associate it with them but then once it becomes famous they get a piece of everyone elses action.
The world is moving towards total technolgy convergence where people will have a radio/mp3 player/phone (they already do actually). This will become another feature that every phone will have to have in a couple of years and Virgin will not hold a monopoly for very long. By letting people buy into their content they make sure that they get money from everyone.
Want to Learn about all about Sex and sex related things?
If you have an unlimited data plan, what's stopping you from listening to internet radio on your cellphone?
Quid festinatio swallonis est aetherfuga inonusti?
Africus aut Europaeus?
Phones are doing too much these days, you're not cool unless you've got all the addons now.
Want to hear the radio? Buy a radio.
Want to take pictures? Buy a camera.
Want to go on the net? Buy a computer.
Want to call someone? Oh, just wait while you navigate through the menu of silly addons.
This is a pretty nifty new angle, and something satellite radio most likely didn't consider - still, all things considered, mobile phones aren't really Hi-Fi devices (though if this catches on, the next generation *might* be -- but can you still receive phone calls while listening to the 'radio'?
Still, generally Richard Branson does come up with some neat ways to keep his name on the map, so it'd be interesting how this does, and how many others will follow suit.
Unfortunately, at least in the UK, unlimited (3G) data plans seem rather hard to come by with the majority of services having sub 100MB caps or a pay-per-megabyte price structure.
Slightly off-topic but related, Virgin is unusual as a 'major station' in the UK in that it offers its streams in Ogg/Vorbis format. (The BBC did previously but has stopped for an undetermined ammount of time).
Ripping an new rectum in the fabric of spacetime.
Symbian phones aren't exactly inexpensive. Unlimited data plans (at least in the U.S.) cost an arm and a leg. I wouldn't call this free.
Most new mid to high range phones sold in the UK also come with the ability to recieve FM radio stations. Radio is still going strong here - Clearchannel hasn't taken over.
I find it ironic that free music is now being supplied to anyone with a measly $216/month to pay for unlimited data transfer to their mobile phone, while 12 year old kids who download their free music are being sued by the minions of the RIAA.
Music should bring people together instead it is driving a wedge between the haves and have-nots. I am shocked and appalled.
Broadcasting to all 14 Symbian Smartphone owners with unlimited data plans currently in 3G coverage areas...
I agree it's the first software targeting a widely available sartphone platform (Symbian) but it's not the first 3G Radio Service available ( read more ).
For example, Windows Media on Windows Mobile devices (Pocket PC Phone Edition and Smartphone) have been available for years now and will play any radio stream in the WMA format. And what's more, no need to download and install additional software.
No, don't come with "open" platform stuff, because the Virgin Radio is tied to their network, and the company did not disclose what streaming technology is being used.
It's not the first 3G service also because the Harrier Pocket PC Phone Edition (a.k.a. Verizon XV6600 in the USA) is a CDMA EV-DO device, connecting at speeds of 500Kbps average - higher than the WCDMA/UMTS average speeds, and available for some time now.
Read the F*cking Fine Print. Unlimited Data service has a lot of exceptions. I'll bet you the streaming radio service becomes an exception if anybody actually uses it. I signed up for unlimited data, then saw that it was unlimited only with one phone, and NOT when you used the phone as a modem for your bluetooth-connected laptop, and not when you wore brown shoes, or drove a Swedish-made automobile. All of that vented, Virgin Radio is cool, they have always been a leader in internet streaming, since the beginning (1995, when I helped get them started)
This sounds like a lot of hype for something that's out there for symbian phone owners already. With an unlimited data plan in hand, download RealOne for Symbian, find your favorite station that streams using RealAudio (BBC has more than a dozen plus world service in 43 languages) and go.
My favorite is listening to This American Life...I'll be honest, my Nokia 3650 only supports 16khz/8bit/mono, but it's certainly listenable...if only I had an adapter between the the headset port and a 1/8" jack, then I could use it with my car stereo.