Verizon Wireless is expected to make headlines once again at the International Consumer Electronics Show this week in Las Vegas, unveiling a full-track mobile music download service.
The carrier, which last year launched its Vcast offering at CES, looks to expand the service with a dual-download service that delivers tunes to both PCs and mobile phones. Verizon has scheduled a press conference for Thursday morning with Chief Executive Officer Denny Strigl and Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, and will host a reception that night at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino featuring live music from Maroon 5 and Yellowcard.
While company officials declined to discuss details, spokesman Jeffrey Nelson said Verizon will unveil “a revolutionary step in wireless entertainment” at the show. Sprint Nextel Corp. launched the first full-track service for wireless users in November; Verizon looks to be the second U.S. carrier to offer full-song downloads.
Given Ballmer’s presence, it’s likely that Verizon’s service will use Windows Mobile Media Player 10.
“When it comes to music, people want not just to download over-the-air to a PC, they want to be able to manage all of their digital music,” said Nelson, declining to confirm the launch. “When it comes time for us to launch a music service, we’re going to do it in a way customers actually want, rather than a placeholder for something else.”
With wireless playing an ever-increasing role in adding to the din that is CES, a number of other mobile-related announcements are expected, including:
- Crown Castle Corp. is also hosting a shindig Thursday night at the Hard Rock to tout a new announcement. While executives were tight-lipped about details, expect news regarding the Digital Video Broadcast for Handhelds (DVB-H) network the tower company is building out nationwide.
- Crown Castle may unveil its first carrier or content partner for the network, and will look to use CES to raise its profile outside the industry. The company may feel mounting pressure from Qualcomm Inc., which recently scored a big win as Verizon committed to using its upcoming MediaFlo network for mobile video services.
- DirecTV is expected to announce a partnership for mobile content in what looks to be another example of TV providers aligning with wireless companies. The satellite TV company appears set to join TiVo Inc., The Dish Network, Apple Computer Inc. and others in jumping on the mobile video bandwagon.
- And expect the annual CES dog and pony show of new, high-tech U.S. handsets from LG Electronics Inc., Motorola Inc. and Sanyo Corp.
