• by Mark Walsh  @markfwal, May 2, 2008

After repeated delays, AT&T Thursday confirmed that its mobile TV initiative will launch on Sunday.

Powered by Qualcomm's MediaFLO technology, AT&T Mobile TV will feature a programming lineup that includes familiar channels such as ESPN Mobile TV, CBS Mobile, NBC 2Go, Fox Mobile, MTV and Comedy Central.

It will also offer two exclusive channels: Sony Pictures Television's PIX, which offers current films from the studio's library, and CNN Mobile Live, providing breaking news coverage as well as programs like "American Morning," "Larry King Live" and "Anderson Cooper 360."

During the first 60 days on air, AT&T Mobile TV will also feature CNCRT, a concert channel from entertainment producer Control Room that will show concert videos from acts including Avril Lavigne, Chris Brown, Jay Z, Sheryl Crow and Fall Out Boy.

AT&T is charging $13 a month for a limited package providing access to four channels (CBS Mobile, Fox Mobile, NBC 2Go and NBC News 2Go); $15 for a basic unlimited mobile TV package; and $30 to add unlimited Web browsing and unlimited access to AT&T's existing CV on-demand mobile video service. Customers do not incur voice or data charges when using the service.

The wireless carrier is debuting the service on two high-end phones: the LG Vu, a touchscreen device with a music player and 2.0 megapixel camera; and the Samsung Access, which has a landscape display, camera and external stereo speakers. The phones are priced, respectively, at $299.99 and $199.99 after $100 mail-in rebates.

The service will debut in 58 markets, including Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit, Las Vegas, New York, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C.

AT&T initially set January 2008 as the launch date for mobile TV but continually pushed back the date. The move also comes a year after rival Verizon Wireless launched its own MediaFLO-powered mobile TV service.

While the entrance of a major new competitor will help increase consumer awareness of mobile TV, the pricing may still keep the service from going mainstream.

"A cynical view is that even at $15 for broadcast content, that may be too much for consumers to swallow in light of the macroeconomic environment," says William Ho, a wireless analyst at technology research firm Current Analysis. He adds that the AT&T mobile TV devices priced at $300 and $200, respectively, may also limit the service to a niche audience.

ABI Research has forecast that mobile TV will reach 462 million subscribers by 2012, led by the Asia-Pacific region. But as of February, only 5.9% of U.S. mobile customers used their phones to watch video, according to mobile measurement firm M:Metrics.

Verizon to date has not disclosed how many people have signed up for its mobile TV offering.