T-Mobile US announced is new Binge On wireless TV service. With that news, there seems to be concerned voices from a variety of people in the industry wondering whether the T-Mobile US network can handle the expected usage surge. So what can we expect to see? Let’s take a closer look.
First, this is T-Mobile US’ first move into wireless television. I am very happy to see this and applaud its move. Wireless television is a new growth direction for the wireless industry. This is one of the newest hot trends and is transforming both wireless and pay TV like cable television and IPTV.
T-Mobile US is joining players like AT&T Mobility, Verizon Wireless and Sprint in providing wireless TV. The potential rub comes from the fact that these other carriers have the spectrum and network speed to deliver a good experience.
T-Mobile US, on the other hand, does not at this time. It has a fast network in certain locations, but it has little spectrum. So, could this be a problem?
I would imagine T-Mobile US would know about the threat of potential bottlenecks in its wireless data flow for both Binge On and ordinary customers. I would imagine it would want to protect its image in the marketplace, so won’t do something that would spoil things for its customers, and therefore for itself, in the long run.
So with that said, why are so many in the industry concerned with the ability of T-Mobile US to handle the increased demand? Good question.
T-Mobile US has improved its quality and speed in many markets and is continually getting better, however it still has very little spectrum. So, since network speed and spectrum are both needed for a good wireless television experience, industry experts have been weighing in with concern.
Uncertainty is unsettling
To tell you the truth, I don’t know what to expect. This level of uncertainty is, quite frankly, disturbing and unusual. When a company introduces a new service it is usually welcomed. Then we watch and see if there are any problems after the rollout. Binge On, however, seems to be the hot topic of discussion among many in the industry before it’s even rolled out.
Cable TV needs to step up to wireless TV
I love the idea of wireless TV. We already see major wireless players in this space, which are forcing the cable television competitors like Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Charter and Cox to think about moving in the same direction to stay competitive.
The idea is not the problem: The problem is whether the wireless network has enough spectrum, speed and capacity to deliver a great user experience.
A quick look at recent events proves the industry is moving in the wireless television direction. AT&T acquired DirecTV, letting that television provider offer wireless TV over smartphones and the wireless network.
This puts intense pressure on DISH Network to do the same. Comcast also just announced it notified Verizon Wireless of its intention to develop new wireless TV services in order to be innovative and compete.
Other cable television companies need to step up to this increasing competitive pressure. The game is changing and blending pay TV with wireless is one of the key services we will all be using going forward. Today, companies that are entering this space have a competitive advantage, but tomorrow it will just be standard fare.
That’s why T-Mobile US sees wireless TV as a great new avenue for growth. I agree this is the direction it should be heading, if it is ready. In fact, this is the direction all competitors should be heading.
With all that said, we seem to hear about the nagging industry fears being expressed regarding whether T-Mobile US’ network can handle the increased wireless television usage. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see what happens next.
Good luck T-Mobile US!
