Consumer Thumbs Down for Cellphone TV

Television-enabled cell phones are on the horizon, but at the moment there is not strong consumer interest in the new technology, according to a study conducted by imaging specialist Lyra Research's DTV View group.

Conflicting Signals: A Cell Phone Television Interest Survey polled more than 1,300 US cell phone users in July and August 2004, finding that the majority were not interested in watching TV on a cell phone or other portable device.

In the words of Steve Hoffenberg, the company's Director of Electronic Media Research and principal analyst for the series, 'TV-equipped cell phones would effectively allow individuals to watch TV anytime and anywhere. This realization was the source of strongly negative survey comments. Concerns ranged from increasingly inconsiderate cell phone behavior to questions about the merit of cell phone-delivered television programming-daunting hurdles for cell phone TV marketers'. Younger customers are the least resistant, adds Hoffenberg.

The report is the fifth in the new DTV View series on the digital television market. Web sites are at www.lyra.com and www.dtvview.com