Video Share service the carrier’s initial IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS)-based application.
ORLANDO — AT&T plans to launch a wireless video sharing service this summer that the carrier claims is its first IP Multimedia Subsystem-based application.
Called Video Share, the service allows users to send a live video stream to a recipient during a standard voice call. Beginning with a normal phone call, customers can hit one button to add a live video stream, allowing the called party to see what the caller is seeing while they’re talking.
The service also lets customers switch the direction of the video stream during the same phone call. Both sender and receiver must subscribe to the service and have a Video Share compatible phone – the LG Electronics CU500v.
Both sender and receiver will be charged for any airtime usage and call minutes, but only the sender will be charged for Video Share minutes.
Video Share is AT&T’s first service to use IMS, said Randall Stephenson, AT&T COO, during his keynote address at this week’s CTIA Wireless 2007 conference here. IMS is a specification from the 3G Partnership Project intended to define how wireless or wireline IP networks should transport voice and data sessions.
It is intended to allow a carrier to centralize application servers that can be accessed by all customers.
Video Share is also delivered over AT&T’s 3G Universal Mobile Telephone System/High Speed Downlink Packet Access network.
Video Share will be available in 50 cities this summer, AT&T executives at this week’s conference said. The carrier has not yet announced pricing but it will offer pay per use and rate plans for the service, officials said.
Though initially targeted at consumers, Video Share will find some use in the enterprise as well, AT&T officials said. For example, it could be used by real estate agents for home presentation and inspection.
It could also be used by emergency and non-emergency dispatchers, customer service, healthcare providers, and insurance claims adjusters, they said.
And though currently a mobile-to-mobile application, AT&T plans to extend Video Share to PCs and TVs, as well as business-class PDAs, the officials said.
