Jenya
04-02-2007, 06:49 PM
Rogers Communicans to Offer Video Calling on Cellphones
TORONTO (Reuters) - Rogers Communications Inc. has become the first wireless carrier in North America to offer video calling to cellphone subscribers, the company said on Monday.
The company, which is Canada's biggest wireless provider with more than 6.8 million customers, will essentially let subscribers use their cellphones much like Web cameras to complete video calls.
As well, it will offer access to various video and music services on its cellphones, including the top 50 video clips on YouTube every week.
The services are being delivered on Rogers' new HSDPA network, which stands for High Speed Downlink Packet Access.
Networks such as this allow for much faster wireless download speeds, comparable to broadband high-speed wireline service.
This, in turn, lets companies such as Rogers offer access to various multimedia services. As revenue generated from voice calling slows down, phone companies are looking to text messaging, videos, games, music and other data services to drive profits.
Recently, Canadian telephone company Telus Corp. partnered with private mobile entertainment company Amp'd Mobile to deliver games, videos and music to cellphones. Amp'd provides the content and handsets, while Telus handles sales, distribution, billing and pricing.
Telus stirred controversy earlier this year with its decision to offer cellphone downloading of pornographic content. It scrapped the porn downloads in February after complaints from hundreds of customers and criticism from Catholic church officials.
SOURCE: Yahoo News (http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070402/wl_canada_nm/canada_rogers_wireless_col;_ylt=AhMb9M5l65jpppw2dFuPCvhvaA8F)
TORONTO (Reuters) - Rogers Communications Inc. has become the first wireless carrier in North America to offer video calling to cellphone subscribers, the company said on Monday.
The company, which is Canada's biggest wireless provider with more than 6.8 million customers, will essentially let subscribers use their cellphones much like Web cameras to complete video calls.
As well, it will offer access to various video and music services on its cellphones, including the top 50 video clips on YouTube every week.
The services are being delivered on Rogers' new HSDPA network, which stands for High Speed Downlink Packet Access.
Networks such as this allow for much faster wireless download speeds, comparable to broadband high-speed wireline service.
This, in turn, lets companies such as Rogers offer access to various multimedia services. As revenue generated from voice calling slows down, phone companies are looking to text messaging, videos, games, music and other data services to drive profits.
Recently, Canadian telephone company Telus Corp. partnered with private mobile entertainment company Amp'd Mobile to deliver games, videos and music to cellphones. Amp'd provides the content and handsets, while Telus handles sales, distribution, billing and pricing.
Telus stirred controversy earlier this year with its decision to offer cellphone downloading of pornographic content. It scrapped the porn downloads in February after complaints from hundreds of customers and criticism from Catholic church officials.
SOURCE: Yahoo News (http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070402/wl_canada_nm/canada_rogers_wireless_col;_ylt=AhMb9M5l65jpppw2dFuPCvhvaA8F)