CNN to Launch Asia-Pacific WAP Site
21st Century Business Herald, 9/25/08
International news organization CNN has announced that will launch a WAP news site for the 49 countries and regions in the Asia-Pacific region. The site will include real-time streaming video, video-on-demand (VOD) clips and news bulletins for breaking news. In a breakaway from the fee-based model used in America, Europe and Japan, CNN's Asia-Pacific WAP site will have free registration.
A spokesperson for CNN stated that in mainland China it had still not registered for China Mobile's (NYSE: CHL; 0941.HK) Monternet WAP portal but that both sides had made contact with each other and that equipment manufacturers such as Ericsson had helped serve as a bridge between the company and Chinese telecom operators.
A spokesperson for Guangdong Mobile stated that talks with CNN were progressing in stages and that currently it was only allowing for the provision of WAP services. Technologies such as mobile phone TV would come at later stages in the negotiations.
Several other foreign news organizations including CBS, ESPN and FOX are also said to be in talks with Chinese operators and hope to take advantage of the push towards 3G to enter the Chinese market.
Keywords: mobile paper WVAS CBS FOX 0941.HK 3G China Mobile CHL CNN Ericsson ESPN Guangdong Mobile mobile phone TV Monternet VOD WAP WAP portal wireless