The days of the mobile phone being just a device for making emergency calls are far behind us, but while most of us have handsets that can at least play music or download our email on the go, the biggest fear now facing mobile phone operators and carriers around the world is the ability to use the mobile Internet connection that we all feel is our right, to stream live television over the network.

They say you wait forever and then two buses come at once. And that's exactly what happened for the iPhone in the last seven days. Not one live streaming TV service, but two were launched. The result is that O2 in the UK has had to issue a warning over the?TVCatchup iPhone site, one of the services that if users use too much, means they could be cut off.

Meanwhile AT&T in the US had to move in to get a new app by TV tuner maker?Elgato?that allowed users to stream television from a TV tuner plugged into their Mac directly to their iPhone over the 3G network, changed.

While Apple has the power to force a change in the app, something they have?done, and O2 to block the streaming service, something they are threatening, other handset platforms, which are more open, like Android or Symbian, don't have as operator friendly approach and that's before you even start to address jailbroken apps that allow offerings like SlingPlayer Mobile to work on the 3G network.?

The problem of course isn't about you watching television, although it does raise questions about TV licensing laws in the UK, but about the strain on the network.

Strangely operators like O2 and AT&T are already struggling under the strain of supplying data requests to all it's smartphone users. Add in a constant stream of large amounts of data, i.e., from a popular streaming TV service, and I wouldn't be surprised if the networks around the globe buckle massively under the strain.

Forget the previous concerns of the operators in losing revenue over VoIP calls, thanks to services like Skype and Google Voice, think about the cost of managing a network that is now about data, rather than calls without the ability to charge SMS prices.

So what's the solution? In the short term I wouldn't be surprised if mobile operators moved to either ban them outright or move to create a tiered data system aimed at those who want to consume the larger data content over those that don't.

We might have moved into an "all you can eat" pricing model at the moment in the form of "unlimited" packages, but that is no longer beneficial for the operators for the admittedly minority users who are heavy consumers of data.

While I would love to believe that heavy data users will be able to continue as is, I just can't see that happening. A tiered system based on speed or data consumption would benefit virtually everyone just as it does in the fixed (landline) broadband market. Those who need to stream movies or games can do so with a service that fits their needs, and more importantly have the right to complain if it doesn't. Those who just need email or basic websurfing can do that too.

Whatever the handset or the app one thing is certain - the headache facing operators on how to manage the network, and therefore our expectations of it are only going to get worse.

Tags: Comment Phones AT and T O2 iPhone Elgato TVCatchup Mobile phone apps iPhone apps SlingPlayer Mobile SlingPlayer

TV streaming has mobile operators running scared originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Mon, 19 Oct 2009 17:05:12 +0100

Elgato, a company that makes TV watching software for Macs, released an iPhone application at the end of September which allowed users to watch live television and previously made from their handset when in range of a Wi-Fi connection.

Except that it also did something else. The company accidentally left in code that'd allow users to stream video over 3G connections too - a feature that it had just been using for testing purposes. That broke Apple's rules, so within hours of the feature being noticed the app had disappeared from the App Store.

Elgato told Pocket-lint: "Some test code that enabled live TV streaming over the cellular network was accidentally left in the the EyeTV App. Apple requested that we remove the code since their agreement with AT&T does not allow redirecting TV signals over the cellular network".

"The code was removed and a 1.0.1 version of the EyeTV app was submitted. We expect EyeTV to return to the App Store when the 1.0.1 version is approved".

And return it did - very quickly and in its original rule-breaking 1.0.0 form. Previously downloaded copies haven't been remotely removed from handsets by Apple, either. Instead of the normally hardline approach that Apple takes towards its App Store, it's showing uncharacteristic kindness.

Elgato expects the old version currently on the store to get replaced with 1.0.1 as soon as it's approved, and we wouldn't be surprised if Apple forced a software update on 1.0.0 owners when that happens. Still, it seems like the icy heart of the App Store has melted just a little.

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Tags: Software iPhone Elgato TV Elgato EyeTV Mobile phone apps App Store Apple

Elgato EyeTV pulled from App Store originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Mon, 19 Oct 2009 15:31:42 +0100

Elgato has announced that its EyeTV application is now available on the iTunes App Store. The app allows users to watch live TV and recordings over the iPhone, as well as browse the program guide and start recordings remotely.

You'll need the EyeTV 3.2 software, and that only works on Macs, so PC users aren't allowed in. It'll automatically find a Mac on a local network using Bonjour, and can access it remotely via "My EyeTV", a locator utility that's now available - similar to Apple's "Back to my Mac" service.

When you're not on your local network, you can't watch live TV unless you find another Wi-Fi connection, but other than that everything should still work smoothly. It's available on the App Store right now, and will cost you ?3. You'll need to get an Elgato EyeTV tuner for your Mac, too, if you haven't got one yet.

Read

Related links:

• News - Elgato offers 1080p EyeTV Sat
• Buy - Elgato iPhone App (iTunes store link)

Tags: Phones iPhone apps Elgato EyeTV

Elgato EyeTV comes to iPhone originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 29 Sep 2009 12:00:41 +0100