Modeo Launches Live Mobile TV Beta Service In Nation's Largest Metro Area

After more than three years of development, Modeo has launched a live, commercial quality mobile TV beta service in New York City

HOUSTON (Jan. 8, 2007) – After more than three years of development, Modeo has launched a live, commercial quality mobile TV beta service in New York City. The Modeo beta service includes live video content from leading network programmers such as Fox News, Discovery Channel and others, as well as streaming audio content from Music Choice, to Modeo Mobile TV Smartphones. Initial distribution of the Modeo Mobile TV Smartphones to beta service participants began in the last week of 2006 and will continue throughout the first quarter of 2007.

Modeo will stage its New York City beta activities in phases throughout the first quarter of 2007. Activities include the initiation of a formal beta test group that is scheduled to commence in late January. To further showcase the DVB-H mobile TV opportunity, Modeo is offering service to a select group of wireless carriers, reporters, industry analysts, financial analysts and content providers. Modeo anticipates several hundred users will participate during the course of the Modeo beta service.

Modeo is working with several key partners as part of this milestone event for the emerging mobile TV sector. Centercode Inc. is managing Modeo's formal beta test group activities. GCR Custom Research LLC (formerly Gartner Custom Research) is providing consumer use and service analysis. M:Metrics is providing Modeo the capability to capture actual user log data through the sophisticated measurement methodology of M:Meter. Building on Modeo's previous trialing activities, participants in Modeo's New York beta service will provide valuable feedback on a variety of parameters, including programming content, coverage quality, ease of use of the Modeo Mobile TV Smartphone device and overall use case scenarios. Modeo expects to use this feedback to evaluate network distribution options with wireless carriers.

"Modeo is pleased to have this opportunity to showcase our progress toward delivering on the promise of mobile TV," commented Michael Ramke, Modeo's recently appointed president and former vice president of marketing and business development. "By moving beyond technical trial efforts and into true commercial grade network service, we continue to position Modeo as an integral player in the dynamic mobile TV space. Participants in our New York beta service will have a front row seat in the evolution of mobile TV."

Modeo is a DVB-H (Digital Video Broadcast-Handheld) pioneer: In 2003 Modeo secured, through an affiliate, unencumbered spectrum rights through a Federal Communications Commission auction and began conducting technical and consumer trials of its mobile TV service in Pittsburgh in 2004.

"The Modeo DVB-H Smartphone is a pioneering advancement in the world of mobile communications and entertainment," said Todd Achilles, vice president of sales and marketing for HTC America. "HTC is extremely pleased to be working with Modeo on this significant milestone in the evolution of wireless entertainment."

Industry Insights

Leading mobile entertainment industry analysts, including Frost & Sullivan and IDC, project the mobile video market will exceed $1.5 billion by 2009. Multicast networks like Modeo, which use the global standard DVB-H technology, are expected to be the largest and fastest growing segments of the mobile video market. DVB-H trials and service are underway in several countries, including the United States, Germany, Finland, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Spain, Australia and Singapore. The standard is supported by the Mobile DTV Alliance and leading wireless and technology member companies that include Nokia, Motorola, Samsung, Texas Instruments, Intel, Philips and Microsoft.

About Modeo
Modeo LLC is a subsidiary of Crown Castle International Corp. (NYSE: CCI). Modeo has the ability to deliver a rich media service comprised of live TV channels, audio channels and podcasting content over its Digital Video Broadcast - Handheld (DVB-H) network to a variety of mobile devices via its nationwide spectrum holdings. For more information on Modeo, please visit www.modeo.com.

About Crown Castle International Corp.
Crown Castle International Corp. engineers, deploys, owns and operates technologically advanced shared wireless infrastructure, including extensive networks of towers. Crown Castle offers significant wireless communications coverage to 76 of the top 100 US markets and to substantially all of the Australian population. Crown Castle owns, operates and manages over 11,500 and over 1,300 wireless communication sites in the US and Australia, respectively. On October 6, 2006, Crown Castle announced it had entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Global Signal Inc. (NYSE: GSL). Global Signal owns, leases or manages approximately 11,000 towers and other wireless communications sites. For more information on Crown Castle, please visit www.crowncastle.com.

 

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