COLUMBUS, Ohio.—An Ohio WiMAX start-up that says it plans to launch a wireless nationwide triple play of data, voice and video services this fall announced a partnership with MODF.tv, a Web site that streams television programming.
Televip Networks officials could not immediately be reached for comment, but according to a company press release, consumers will be able to watch music videos, television programs and “original premium content” from MODF on Internet-enabled devices such as Wi-MAX-enabled laptops, Sony Corp.’s PlayStation Portable and WiMAX-enabled phones from Televip.
Televip did not provide any information on prices for its WiMAX phones or services. WiMAX phones are not commercially available, although Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. showed off one of the first WiMAX phones at the Consumer Electronics Show in January.
The MODF.tv site currently offers streamed programming from various countries around the world, including QVC, NASA TV and local news stations from the U.S. MODF, which claims to have about 30 million users, said it had arranged to sell a channel to another streaming site, TVzin.com, which would allow MODF.tv users to stream their own programming locally from the MODF site.
“It’s about keeping it simply [sic] but full of power, and the most powerful streaming network in the world right now is MODF, like us they have [a] very aggressive plan and short time table to deliver,” said Abdul Bey of Televip Networks in a company statement.In a February press release, Televip Networks claimed to have an “initial network” of 9,000 buildings and towers and said it hoped to have twice as many buildings online by the fourth quarter of this year. The company did not provide details on the network, including what technology it will use and which vendor will install it.
Televip said it raised $23 million in first-round funding last October from JBoss Holdings and plans to have a second round of funding in place by June.
