Pentagon Channel Starts Mobile Streaming Service

By David Silverstein
The Pentagon Channel

May 13, 2010 - Mobility solutions and content aggregator uVuMobile has partnered with the Pentagon Channel to deliver live programming to military personnel and civilian employees around the world with video-enabled mobile phones.

The Pentagon Channel is the broadcast vehicle for the latest Defense Department news.

The uVuMobile VXStream platform, which allows the Pentagon Channel to offer comprehensive suites of rich media to consumers, is providing soldiers on the move, and even loved ones at home, a new way of keeping up to date on news and programming that affect their daily lives.

"We are delighted to add this feature to our arsenal of distribution options," said Brian Natwick, the Pentagon Channel's general manager. "In order to serve our viewers, they must first be able to get our content. This 'TV everywhere' opportunity is just another way we can give our servicemembers what they need."

Members of the military community, including the Pentagon Channel's audience of more than 2.6 million members of the U.S. armed forces, will be able to access live broadcasts of military news and information through their cell phones any time of day and in any worldwide location with a cellular connection. Thanks to this partnership, news updates and programming from the channel can be viewed at home and overseas on most video-enabled phones – including BlackBerrys, Palms, Google's Nexus One, and Windows Smartphones.

By using the growing popularity of live video streaming to cell phones, this partnership furthers the Pentagon Channel's mission, officials said. The channel, which was designed by the Defense Department to enhance timely communications for members of the armed forces, provides 24-hour information and media to viewers, which include 1.4 million active duty service members, 1.2 million members of the National Guard and Reserves, and the department's 650,000 civilian employees.

"We are excited to be working with the Pentagon Channel to deliver its programming to mobile phones worldwide and to play a role in ensuring our troops are informed with the latest military news on a real-time basis," said Richard Seifert, uVuMobile's president and CEO. "Our VXStream platform will ensure a high-quality and robust experience to the millions of military and civilian personnel who view this valuable resource."

Subscribers to the video streaming service will have access to the entire slate of Pentagon Channel programming, including Defense Department news briefings, daily news updates, "Fit for Duty," "The American Veteran," "The Grill Sergeants," "Pacific Report," interviews with top Defense officials and short stories about the work of U.S. servicemembers.

Users can access the new service by going to http://www.uvumobile.com/tpc on their mobile phone. Pentagon Channel programming also streams live at http://www.pentagonchannel.mil, where video on demand and both audio and video podcasts also are available.