Verizon Plans Superbowl 2014 Broadcast Over LTE

[dgstorm]

If Verizon's newest plans come to fruition, then in 2014 you will be able to watch the Superbowl via their live Broadcast over LTE. Verizon chief Lowell McAdam and NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, made it clear at CES today that VZW plans to market their live broadcast TV over 4G LTE service. Here's a quote with some additional info,

Verizon has already facilitated the streaming of Super Bowl 2011 via its NFL football app, but tapping into a live broadcast rather than a stream could provide a more stable viewing experience (goodbye, buffering!).

Broadcasting over LTE - or Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service (eMBMS) - has been in the works for some time, with Samsung, Ericsson, and Qualcomm all showing off the technology last year. According to Ericsson, using Broadcast over LTE means "operators can make better use of their available spectrum and free up network capacity."
McAdam said Verizon is hard at work making that a reality over its 4G LTE network. The goal is to "break down the barrier between home and mobile" to create services that transition seamlessly between TVs and your smartphone or tablet, he said.

What do you guys think? I am not seeing how it makes any difference whether the Superbowl is broadcast over 4G LTE or any other broadcast medium. Please share any insights as to why this is relevant.

Source: PCMag

 

[dezymond]

I know a few people who had to work during the Superbowl last year and they're Verizon customers so that makes it easier. Wonder why they didn't implement it this season...

 

[johnomaz]

Oh ya, thats going to be good on their 1gig shared everything plan unless you cough up more for more gigs, but even then, their crazy data limiting plans hurts this. Plus if they don't broadcast in high def, its gonna be barely viewable.

 

[mountainbikermark]

3 hour game + half time. I better stock up on batteries .
Hope there's no national LTE outage that day either.

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[mountainbikermark]

I know a few people who had to work during the Superbowl last year and they're Verizon customers so that makes it easier. Wonder why they didn't implement it this season...

Because too many customers still have unlimited data?

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[dezymond]

Because too many customers still have unlimited data?

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Yeah that's a good reason to delay it another year.....well played Big Red, well played....

 

[GotnFX]

But is this going to be for those that paid for the monthly subscription of the mobile app or to all? If I had to guess..only paid subscribers. No way VZ does this without trying to grab some more money..just another marketing scheme to try and drum up more subscribers.

 

[mountainbikermark]

But is this going to be for those that paid for the monthly subscription of the mobile app or to all? If I had to guess..only paid subscribers. No way VZ does this without trying to grab some more money..just another marketing scheme to try and drum up more subscribers.

Subscription Fee+ data charges = Verizon M.O.

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[Jeyman]

The data caps make their plan to break down home/mobile pointless.

I have unlimited but im one of the few lucky still. This wont work for 99% of their customers.

 

[sr.torres22]

I have unlimited but im one of the few lucky still. This wont work for 99% of their customers.[/QUOTE]

Same here!

 

[Xplorer4x4]

My guess is this is going to be a fee based service like pay per view. You pay X amount of dollars, and then you can watch the entire game with out it counting against your actual data usage. As for the breaking down the barrier comment, again, I suspect this is going to include multiple fee based services. You pay X amount of dollars, and you get to watch a tv show with out it counting against your data.

 

[mountainbikermark]

My guess is this is going to be a fee based service like pay per view. You pay X amount of dollars, and then you can watch the entire game with out it counting against your actual data usage. As for the breaking down the barrier comment, again, I suspect this is going to include multiple fee based services. You pay X amount of dollars, and you get to watch a tv show with out it counting against your data.

You're probably right. I forgot about the old Mediaflo and how it was marketed. I used to watch Star Trek with my little girl every afternoon and didn't use any data. I suppose the super bowl could be done the same way.

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[stinger161]

Everything the NFL does is about $$$. For VZN to get this is huge!!! Their deals with the tv networks are so that for the playoffs you can't get a game via radio or streaming online (I'm by Chicago so not in a market area so if anyone is in a market chime in). I couldn't find one. Also who else could literally bring Las Vegas to their knees??? A few years back the NFL threatened lawsuits if hotels/casinos had Super Bowl parties. Copyfutures: NFL Cracks Down on Super Bowl IP That has since been lifted I'm sure to a sum of cash so the parties can continue. The Super Bowl and March Madness are the biggest money makers for the books and attracts the biggest crowds bar none!! The casinos would pay anything to keep those crowds. I'll be out there again for the 5th year, great time!!!

 

[52brandon]

I'll go different from what everybody else is thinking and say it will be free. AND not count against data. Why? Because the game is important enough for some people to be the lone reason to sign up with Verizon. And the ads are so expensive that they basically pay for it themselves. The ads on TV will not be on the VZW showing, it will be separate charges. They're going to want as many people as possible to be watching to entice the companies to buy the ad space. They truly stand to make more money by making it free. Changing to tiered data was a schmuck move and greedy, but they will make more money that way. Making the SB free and not count against data will lead to them making a bunch more money and help try to steer their rep away from being greedy after going tiered. If they screw this up, it will prove that the guys running the company do not deserve to be in such a position

 

[Knightrider03m]

I too is part of the small group of people with unlimited data. You want a whole Superbowl game online under the same limited internet plan? I'm sure that this is going to backfire with VZW and I hope it does as it will open their eyes into offering true unlimited internet again.