AfterDawn: News

Programming a DVR from a mobile phone

AT&T and Verizon Wireless (the top two U.S. wireless providers) have both announced new features that will allow customers to remotely record TV shows by programming their DVRs with their mobile phones. AT&T said that its subscribers can now use their mobile phones to record TV shows on home TVs using Homezone, a video-on-demand service that AT&T offers with satellite TV provider EchoStar Communications.

Verizon Wireless said its customers will be able to use their phones to program TiVo Inc. digital video recorders remotely, starting next week. The third largest provider, Sprint Nextel Corp., also plans to make a similar offer available later in the year through its venture with cable providers such as Comcast Corp. and Time Warner Cable Inc.



While analysts agree that such services can help to either attract some new customers, or retain current customers as competition gets tougher, the demand for such features is not very high. A survey conducted by a Jupiter Research analyst showed less than 10% of respondents as interested in such features.

Source:
Reuters

Written by: James Delahunty @ 7 Mar 2007 17:03

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• 3 comments

• limelight

  Thats...a little extreme, plus its just another charge of many added to an already confusing cell-phone bill.
  
  And the service still sucks where i live.

  8.3.2007 13:25 #1

• TravDude

  I agree. It'd be nice if the service providers focused on ensuring that I don't get a dropped call every 10 minutes.
  
  I'm confused. If TiVo automoatically records your favorite shows when you tell it to (i.e. the season pass), why would I need to program it remotely?
  
  However, without small incremental advancements in technology, the great ideas wouldn't be possible.

  8.3.2007 16:37 #2

• Mikiec

  Big deal, Sky have enabled me to do this in the UK for 12 months.
  
  Its only really of any use to record one off shows, which aren't on series link, that you forgot to schedule while you were right there in front of the TV. But it is handy to have.

  8.3.2007 23:50 #3