http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/02/04/att-gives-green-light-to-sling-tv-over-3g/?src=tptw
AT&T Gives Green Light to Sling TV Over 3G
By BRAD STONE
Remember the Great Sling Spat?
A year ago, Sling Media, a subsidiary of EchoStar, introduced a nifty application for the Apple iPhone that allowed users with a Slingbox at home to watch and control their home television signal from their handsets.
The only problem: AT&T said that such a bandwidth-intensive video service would overwhelm its network, so it limited the application to work only over an iPhones Wi-Fi connection. TV lovers and techies worldwide cried out in anguish.
But all that is about to change. AT&T announced Thursday morning that it will now allow the SlingPlayer iPhone app to stream live over its 3G network.
Since mid-December 2009, AT&T has been testing the app and has recently notified Sling Media as well as Apple that the optimized app can run on its 3G network, said the carrier in a press release.
Sling, in addition to various consumer groups, had complained to the Federal Communications Commission that AT&Ts policy was discriminatory, since other applications, such as Major League Baseballs, also stream live video over AT&Ts 3G network.
AT&T appears to have recognized that its position was indefensible and relented.
As to whether AT&Ts overtaxed wireless network will now drop even more calls, neither Sling nor AT&T seemed to think so. A Sling spokesman said the company dynamically adjusts the bandwidth based on network conditions and picture quality, so the app should not add any undue additional strain.
And in its press release, AT&T said it has worked with Sling to ensure the app is optimized to minimize network congestion.
The upgraded SlingPlayer application may not immediately available. Sling said it is still waiting for Apple to approve it. Anyone who already bought the $30 app will get a free upgrade, the company said.
Of course, the SlingPlayer application will be really interesting on the larger-screen iPad it will turn that multifaceted device into an extra TV set.
AT&T Gives Green Light to Sling TV Over 3G
By BRAD STONE
Remember the Great Sling Spat?
A year ago, Sling Media, a subsidiary of EchoStar, introduced a nifty application for the Apple iPhone that allowed users with a Slingbox at home to watch and control their home television signal from their handsets.
The only problem: AT&T said that such a bandwidth-intensive video service would overwhelm its network, so it limited the application to work only over an iPhones Wi-Fi connection. TV lovers and techies worldwide cried out in anguish.
But all that is about to change. AT&T announced Thursday morning that it will now allow the SlingPlayer iPhone app to stream live over its 3G network.
Since mid-December 2009, AT&T has been testing the app and has recently notified Sling Media as well as Apple that the optimized app can run on its 3G network, said the carrier in a press release.
Sling, in addition to various consumer groups, had complained to the Federal Communications Commission that AT&Ts policy was discriminatory, since other applications, such as Major League Baseballs, also stream live video over AT&Ts 3G network.
AT&T appears to have recognized that its position was indefensible and relented.
As to whether AT&Ts overtaxed wireless network will now drop even more calls, neither Sling nor AT&T seemed to think so. A Sling spokesman said the company dynamically adjusts the bandwidth based on network conditions and picture quality, so the app should not add any undue additional strain.
And in its press release, AT&T said it has worked with Sling to ensure the app is optimized to minimize network congestion.
The upgraded SlingPlayer application may not immediately available. Sling said it is still waiting for Apple to approve it. Anyone who already bought the $30 app will get a free upgrade, the company said.
Of course, the SlingPlayer application will be really interesting on the larger-screen iPad it will turn that multifaceted device into an extra TV set.
