V CAST

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

It has been suggested that Verizon Wireless#V CAST be merged into this article or section. (Discuss)

V CAST is a 3G EV-DO network created by Verizon Wireless used for streaming of video clips and music. The typical download speed is between 400 and 700 kilobits per second with burst speeds of up to 2 megabits per second. Some videos may be saved to the phone or a removable memory card, which cannot be read by other phones or computers. V CAST is heavily protected by digital rights management software based on Windows Media Video 9 and developed by PacketVideo [1]. There is buffering before the video stream is played and possibly during video playback, depending on the quality of the connection. V CAST is implemented as a permanently installed BREW application on a V CAST compatible phone. The V CAST application will not allow videos to play or even to navigate menus if there is no EV-DO coverage available. Contrast this to Sprint's MobiTV system which operates over 1xRTT, the predecessor to EV-DO. V CAST will only fall back to the slower 1x when a V CAST user leaves an EV-DO area in the middle of a video clip.

V CAST is one of the few mobile phone-based systems on which more advanced games including 3-D graphics can be played. The graphic quality of these games is similar to the original Sony PlayStation or the Sega Saturn. Most, but not all, V CAST games require air-time for use.

1 Video Content
2 Pricing
3 V CAST Enabled Phones
4 External links

[edit] Video Content

News
- NBC News
- CNN to Go
- NBC Marketwatch
Weather
- AccuWeather.com Breaking news and Forecasts
Entertainment
- V CAST Showcase
- Just for Laughs
Sports
- Fox Sports
- ESPN

[edit] Pricing

V CAST service costs an additional $15 monthly fee. The majority of videos available are included with the V CAST service plan. However, premium content such as sports clips and music videos may cost between $1.99 and $3.99 extra. Live concerts are typically offered for free with the V CAST subscription. V CAST games are more expensive than their traditional BREW counterparts; $4 to $5 for a monthly subscription plan and $9 to $10 for unlimited use. Downloading digital music with V CAST is, however, free.