AfterDawn: News

Rogers offers mobile video calling

Rogers Communications Inc. will become the first carrier in North America to offer its users the ability to make video calls with their mobile phones, the company revealed on Monday. Rogers is Canada's biggest wireless provider, touting more than 6.8 million customers. Subscribers will be able to use their mobile phones much the same was a webcam to complete a phone call.

Rogers is utilizing its new High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA) network to make the video calls possible and also offer some video content from web sources including YouTube's weekly top 50 video clips. Rogers and other carriers are looking to multimedia services to help fill in the gaps as revenue generated from voice calling slows down.



Source:
Reuters

Written by: James Delahunty @ 2 Apr 2007 18:20

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• 2 comments

• sebast1an

  Didn't realise the UK was ahead on this one, we've had video calling for a while now, over a year now even - using UMTS right enough so not the greatest experience...

  3.4.2007 01:39 #1

• macDIESEL

  @sebast1an
  
  So don't be surprised about the UK being ahead, believe me, when talking about cell phones and service providers, you guys and south east asians have it pretty good there. I'm so jealous.
  In canada, there aren't too many competing wireless providers and networks, so the prices for service can be quite high. Rogers is the main player here.
  
  I wish there was more providers here so the prices would be lower. More competition equals more choices and lower prices for customers.
  
  I know that in europe and south east asia, the prices are very manageable, and tons of phone manufacturers offer many cool featured phones that canada and u.s won't see until a year after, and longer than that. I have friends and family in both europe and asia, and they use their cell phones as their main phones. I guess if they service is good, why would anyone have home phone as well as cell phone.
  
  using UMTS may not be good for you, but hey, at least you guys have had for a while. [off topic] You guys may get a watered down PS3 in your area and the rest of europe, but you guys get better phones and service.

  6.4.2007 03:50 #2