Iria

Verizon Wireless, the No. 2 U.S. cellphone service, plans to start delivering live television to mobile phones early next year using a network being built by Crown Castle International Corp., an analyst said on Monday.

Verizon Wireless, a venture of Verizon Communications and Vodafone Group Plc, already sends on-demand news and entertainment video clips to mobile phones as part of its effort to expand its services beyond voice phone calls.

Zachary Research analyst Patrick Comack said in a note to clients on Monday that Verizon Wireless plans to add to its media line-up by using tower operator Crown Castle's network to send live TV to its phones in the first quarter of 2006.

Citing an engineer from Crown Castle and other unnamed sources, Comack said the tower operator plans to cover the top 30 U.S. markets with a live television network and that Verizon Wireless plans to deliver live TV using the network.

Comack said "it was clear after our discussions with various parties ... that (Verizon Wireless) chose Crown Castle."
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Read More / Source: SBC Yahoo! News