Mobile TV streaming company Yamgo has announced that its service is now available globally.
Yamgo, which provides live streaming of linear TV channels to mobile phones has expanded its coverage from just the UK to build what it is terming a global content delivery network.
Yamgo CEO and Founder Ian Mullins said, “We have added different encoding and streaming capabilities that enable live TV to be watched even over very low bit rates from 2.5G to WiFi, and built a mobile TV Content Delivery Network that optimises delivery to mobile phones worldwide. We work on over 90% of phones worldwide that support streaming – this is an industry first. You can now access live TV on almost any phone anywhere.
“We now encode into 15 different profiles and multiple formats. This has extended the reach and compatibility to more networks and old / low end devices.”
Mullins said that the company had negotiated global rights from 15 on-demand channels “from Football to Bikini girls”, and 4 linear channels (TV Yachts, Guitarist TV, Outdoor Sports Channel and UCB).
“We are launching 20 new linear channel as a result of this new platform globally over the next 3 months including some of the biggest news, sports and entertainment brands,” he added.
So is there an opportunity for mobile operators in Yamgo’s approach? Mullins said that there may be.
“We are primarily focused on D2C, but with the advent of walled gardens coming back to restrict streaming due to capacity issues we are likely to offer Yamgo free to view services through some overseas operators next year. Operators need more reasons to up sell the more expensive smartphones and live TV has mass market appeal,” Mullins added.
There have been mobile TV applications launched, but Mullins said that adopting an application based strategy for content distribution would require individual programmers to maintain and update Apple iPhone, iPad, Android, Windows Mobile, Nokia and Blackberry apps and require users to update their apps to benefit from any developments.