The new Samsung SGH-a827 Access was announced these days to be the first (of two) MediaFLO TV compatible GSM phone for AT&T, that the South Korean manufacturer has built. It’s a quad-band (850/900/1800/1900MHz) GSM mobile phone with 3G support that has some interesting features including stereo Bluetooth, stereo speakers, Wireless, microSD card slot and a 1.3 megapixel camera.

The candybar shaped cellphone comes with a 2.3-inch screen display that was optimized for better TV viewing and offers “exceptional” Mobile TV reception though it doesn’t have a whip antenna. Samsung SGH-a827 Access will also feature Video share, IM and mobile email.

AT&T will launch Mobile TV this year, in May, the same month when SGH-a827 Access will go on sale.

via MobileBurn

AT&T is the biggest US mobile service provider. Although, the company originally said to launch the mobile TV service by the end of 2007, the announcements on Thursday revealed its plans to introduce the mobile TV service in May. A spokesman told that the company waited to release the mobile TV in May because it is “a brand new service on a brand new network, and two brand new devices.”

The MediaFlo TV service will be provided using a chip manufactured by Qualcomm to broadcast live over the network. AT&T’s rival, Verizon Wireless, has launched MediaFlo service since last year. However the market is still at the beginning because the service is not available all over the country and it is not supported by all phones. In fact, AT&T will launch two new mobiles along with the MediaFlo TV service: the Vu phone from LG Electronics Inc and the Access phone from Samsung Electronics Co Ltd.

As the markets evolve, the MediaFlo coverage will also increase. The phone manufacturers will develop new products for live TV broadcasting and the number of customers will reach over 200 million next year. The market forecast could be excelled as the television companies will free up more wireless spectrum.

via Yahoo News