Qualcomm's MediaFLO USA division announced plans to expand its FLO TV service across more than 100 markets in 2009. The market launch schedule will commence within weeks of the February 17, 2009 digital television (DTV) transition date and continue throughout the year.
MediaFLO USA also noted some interesting mobile TV user trends. Metrics show that FLO TV viewers are spending an average of more than 20 minutes per day watching television on their phones. This is comparable to the average time U.S. cell phone users spend per day talking on their cell phones, according to CTIA's Semi-Annual Wireless Industry Survey.
FLO TV's most dramatic viewership increases in 2008 occurred during live events, illustrating the service's immediacy and its resonance with today's mobile consumers:
- Viewership increased 103 percent over the daily average during this year's epic U.S. Open golf championship playoff featuring Tiger Woods
and Rocco Mediate. - FLO TV's dedicated Olympics channel, available exclusively on AT&T Mobile TV, was the most-watched channel on the AT&T Mobile TV service during the live Olympics coverage.
- Live coverage of Hurricane Ike helped spike viewership by 31 percent during the storm.
- On Election Day, FLO TV subscribers spent an average of 22 percent more time watching TV on their phones.
