RealNetworks to provide video services to Cingular

RealNetworks is offering a streaming video service to mobile operators, and Cingular Wireless will use the service, the companies said Wednesday.

With Real's Helix OnlineTV, mobile operators can offer customers multichannel video, interactive video, streaming radio, ringtones and mobile games. Real will host the mobile service for Cingular, starting when the operator introduces its 3G network later this year.

OnlineTV will be available to landline, mobile, Wi-Fi and in the future WiMax operators as well as to users of future mobile TV transmission technologies including DVB-H (Digital Video Broadcasting - Handheld) and MediaFlo.

Cingular currently offers mobile television services through MobiTV, a company that streams content from a host of television channels over cellular networks.

Siemens also introduced on Wednesday a mobile TV service. Operator customers can use Siemens Media Delivery Solution to schedule video programming that can start at a certain time or that can be streamed or downloaded by customers on demand. The platform also enables interactive services. It can currently be used by mobile operators and in the future can also be used to deliver content via DVB-H networks.

The IDG News Service is a Network World affiliate.