Video Calling launched by Rogers in Canada

[Fire14]

Rogers Launches Wireless Video Calling


Today Rogers Wireless unveiled wireless video calling, which turns a mobile handset into a webcam for face-to-face calling in real time. Rogers is the first wireless carrier in North America to offer video calling, part of its Rogers VISION suite of services. To celebrate the launch of Rogers' wireless video calling, Canadian actor William Shatner made the trek home to make the first official video call.

In addition to wireless video calling, Rogers VISION allows customers to communicate with mobile multimedia and visual services like video-on-demand, including YouTube, ET Canada, CSI, CNN; Mobile Television to access favorite TV and video programs; radio-on-demand, featuring live XM Satellite radio; and Rogers MusicStore, for hundreds of thousands of music tracks.

"Rogers VISION is a quantum leap forward in wireless communications...the experience is like being there," says John Boynton, Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, Rogers Wireless. "You really have to see it to believe it! Beyond offering video calling, Canadians can now benefit from faster than ever download times - perfect for getting music from the Rogers MusicStore, or for watching YouTube clips and TV programming, right on your wireless phone."

The Rogers VISION suite of services operates on Rogers' new High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA) network. HSDPA is the latest evolution of GSM, the worldwide standard for mobile wireless communications. This powerful 3G technology significantly improves download speeds on wireless devices, providing a user experience similar to broadband hi-speed wireline services.

The new service will start in Ontario's Golden Horseshoe area and extending to top markets across the country throughout 2007.

Shatner, who co-hosted this morning's event at Rogers' Toronto corporate campus, is thrilled to be home in Canada to witness the launch. "Canada is clearly known for its many talents," says Shatner, "but I am especially proud to see my home country again at the leading edge of technology."

http://www.wirelessiq.com/content/topstories/1893.html

[scotsboyuk]

Do the customers want it? The networks thought it would be a killer feature here, but it turned out the customers weren't hugely interested. That's not to say no one uses it or that it isn't a nice feature. However, it was hyped up, and as a result it looks to be underperorming because of that hype.

[Yankees368]

I just feel like this would eat up the battery like none other. Also, wouldnt you HAVE to be using a headset to take advantage of this?

[scotsboyuk]

It does use up more battery power than a standard call, but unless you make a lot of video calsl it shouldn't be a problem.

A headset is nice if you don't want other people to hear what the person you're speaking with is saying, but not a necessity. The speaker function serves perfectly well (assuming you don't mind those nearby hearing your conversation).

[jones]

It's only a Day Old,
so it's still Early to Make Speculation.