X

Still a long wait for V Cast TV in S.F.

Verizon's snazzy mobile TV service won't land in Northern California until 2009.

Kent German Former senior managing editor / features
Kent was a senior managing editor at CNET News. A veteran of CNET since 2003, he reviewed the first iPhone and worked in both the London and San Francisco offices. When not working, he's planning his next vacation, walking his dog or watching planes land at the airport (yes, really).
Kent German
Still loading Corinne Schulze/CNET Networks

Here in the Bay Area, we've been waiting a long time for Verizon Wireless to turn on its V Cast Mobile TV network. And why wouldn't we be excited to get it? The TV quality far surpasses the streaming video on Verizon's 3G network. But, more importantly, we wouldn't have to send the V Cast Mobile TV phones to Chicago or New York to get them reviewed. We realize that Verizon doesn't have enough spectrum here but if Wichita, Kan., gets service, shouldn't we?

Well, the good news is that the Bay Area will get V Cast Mobile TV. The bad news is that it won't happen for some time. From what we heard at CTIA, the service is slated to come to our tech-obsessed burg in early 2009. We don't have an exact date, and even that time frame isn't set in stone, but it will arrive here eventually. That's good to know, but 2009 is still a long time to wait to get the most out of slick new cell phones like the Motorola Rizr Z6tv.