On Friday, FLO TV will debut on the small screen.

But it’s a small screen that’s bigger than the smaller screen they’re famous for.

This Friday, Qualcomm’s mobile broadcast subsidiary FLO TV will expand its service nationally.

It’s a move that’s been in the making for quite some time, one that comes hand in hand with
DTV transition, which provides the the broadband spectrum vital for the FLO mobile TV network.

As it stands, FLO TV will reach 39 new domestic markets with a potential audience of 200 million everywhere from Boston to San Francisco.

And that’s just the beginning.

By the end of this year, FLO TV is expected to see the light of day in at least one hundred markets.

As you may recall, FLO TV had no choice but to postpone its national debut after federal lawmakers delayed the switch to DTV from Feb. 17 to June 12.

The big moment is finally upon us.

After last night’s performance on the first installment of The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien, all eyes are on are Pearl Jam today in the wake of news that the ledgends of rock may have big – and  somewhat unexpected – plans in the mobile realm.

After ending their nearly two-decade long affiliation with the Sony music, Pearl Jam’s forthcoming album, Backspacer, was initially believed to be planned only for release in stores and carry no mobile affiliation with any wireless carriers or digital platforms.

Not so fast.

Although nothing is confirmed and we’re dealing almost exclusively with rumors, there is reason to believe that Verizon Wireless will soon announce a deal to distribute music from the new album. After all, only a few months ago Verizon’s V Cast Music introduced a series of exclusive full-track downloads for the digitally remastered edition of Pearl Jam’s 1991 debut album.

With both the relationship and opportunity present, rumbings persist that Pearl Jam and Verzon wireless will soon announce yet another joint venture.

Stay tuned.

With Google’s interest in securing a section of the upcoming wireless spectrum that becomes available after the digital switch, there’s been some speculation that the main intention on Google’s mind is to offer a free nationwide wifi network based on the high-power frequencies usually reserved for television.

Not long ago, Google submitted a six-page letter to the FCC outlining processes and tests to avoid interference on the frequencies in question, which was a major concern to the FCC. Google also promised to reserve some frequencies to be used not for wireless Internet and provide free tech support for people using their WiFi. It looks as though they’re laying the groundwork to dovetail nicely with the launch of upcoming Android handsets. That is if the FCC and the privacy groups don’t interfere.

If Google can control the network, as well as the handset software, and combine it with their core search engine knowledge, it will post serious privacy concerns regarding the vast amount of personal data and pure information Google would control. Since Google’s number one goal is to generate a larger footprint to incorporate it’s advertising models into, it obviously makes sense that it would want to place itself at all levels of the process, but controlling and managing that much information could cause problems.

On the other hand, the benefits are enormous in terms of both advertising revenue for Google, and the fact that everyone would have access to a completely free wifi network that’s available anywhere, anytime. It would take a ton of testing and configuring to make sure it’s secure and stable enough for widespread adoption, but exciting to think about nonetheless. We’ll see what happens…

I’m not convinced that Google walked away empty handed Mike, I think this is maybe what they wanted short of a totally open Internet like mobile network. Android is going to be the vehicle to deliver the Google products and if I read your C-Block Winners Chart correctly, that’s the entire US for Verizon.

Google just needs to ensure that the right measures are taken so that Android meets the minimum manufacturing standards guideline to be eligible to access that network.

Even if Verizon creates a 2 tiered network as Erick indicates, Google should still get into the mix at the lower tier and they didn’t have to put up a few Billion to get it.

There’s an article in the WSJ today titled “Big Oil’s Not-So-Big Growth Plans” which indicates that Western Oil companies are struggling to to reach new Oil reserves and could be potentially posturing for a smaller role as future energy players. This might explain why one Big Oil company, Chevron is jumping into the 700MHz auction. Here are the bidders (see page 3)Â

Here’s a couple of snippets from the article…

“None of these companies are interested in shrinking, but that is effectively what they are doing,” says Charles Swanson, managing partner in the Houston office of accounting firm Ernst & Young”

“They simply don’t have enough lucrative opportunities to invest says Faith Birol, chief economist of the Paris-based International Energy Agency”

Interesting.

Forbes has a story that indicates Disney is getting out of the mobile business and has plans to re-evaluate their mobile strategy to include their content. There’s going to be a huge opportunity for a Carrier to distribute this content provided they’ll be able to make money. I wonder if we’ll see an Apple Disney mobile marriage that would put this content on the iPhone?

So how is it that Verizon and Broadcom are allowed to sidestep the Government ruling which was brought on by Broadcom’s lawsuit in the first place? Verizon Wireless apparently approached Broadcom and worked out licensing on the disputed patents in the Qualcomm case and this agreement now permits Verizon to sell these previously banned phones.

Interesting turn of events… wish I had more time to dig into this but I gotta go to work.