Will MobiTV Power AT&T’s U-Verse?

LightReading’s Mark Sullivan raises an interesting idea: what about MobiTV as an extender of AT&T’s U-verse IPTV service to the mobile platform?

Makes more sense then you might think. First of all, some background. U-verse has partnerships with Alacatel and Microsoft for TV screen delivery, but the company has never made a secret of its “three screens” (television, PC and mobile) vision for IPTV.

As Mark points out, MobiTV is already an AT&T Broadband customer. Just two months ago, AT&T announced that MobiTV would power its new AT&T Broadband Video service. And don’t forget MobiTV’s inking of a deal with Cingular for its mMode mobile service. The deal, which was forged in August 2005, would presumably still be in force when Cingular — now co-owned by AT&T and BellSouth — is fully taken over by AT&T after the merger with BellSouth is approved.

Which it will be, I believe. Currently deadlocked 2-2 on the matter, this FCC is not going to hold out forever on that. Newly reconfirmed FCC Commission Chair Kevin Martin really, really wants the body’s fence-sitting fifth vote, Commissioner Robert McDowell, to chill out and clear his conscience and approve the merger.