ROK Entertainment Group has launched its ROK TV streaming mobile TV service in the United States. Users can subscribe to 13 channels of content via the ROK TV website for $0.99 (0.52) per channel per month.
ROK has licensed content from over 50 content providers, enough for dozens of channels, which will be going live throughout the coming weeks. The company is basing its US offering on its experience of the UK market, where it says it has found Mobile TV to be a 3×5 proposition which means that consumers tend to watch Mobile TV three times a day, for five minutes at a time. The US content therefore focuses on niche, independent, alternative, urban, and international programming, such as music channel TV Reggaeton, conspiracy channel OutThere TV, and salsa channel Noche De Salsa.
We see large demographic and affinity segments of active mobile media consumers that are being under-served by the content offerings of existing mobile video services, says ROK Chairman Jonathan Kendrick. But were not turning away from major entertainment, news or sports programming. In fact, we fully intend to showcase the power of major media brands and sponsors in a variety of unique ways as the service grows.
ROK TV currently includes a range of live news, sports, music, cartoons and entertainment channels in its UK lineup. It runs over 2.5G and 3G networks, and has been live in the UK since late last year. It recently finished second in an independent study of UK Mobile TV services, beating 3 into third place and Orange into fourth. ROK has, to date, licensed its Mobile TV technologies to eight mobile networks worldwide, with more deals to come.
To get ROK TV, users go to the ROK TV website, register and download the software to their Smartphone, Windows Mobile or Java device. Then with a few clicks, they build their own custom package of channels.
Its a simple process now, but getting even easier in the next few weeks, says Kendrick. And to help motivate people through the process, weve got an incentive for them, in the shape of one month free ROK TV for all new subscribers.
In addition to basic streaming channels, ROK TV will soon be adding on-demand and premium programming.
Were going to keep adding features and functionality to the service, including things never previously available in the US. says ROK Head of Global Marketing, Bruce Renny.
One of those features is ROK STAR, which lets the viewer interact with Mobile TV without leaving the viewing experience.
A viewer can be watching a game show or shopping channel, press the Star key, and a transparent overlay rolls over the screen which lets the user interact with the program explains Renny. This could be anything from voting, to messaging, to purchasing a product or ringtone, without having to stop watching the program. It is essentially the complete interactive TV experience on your mobile phone.
Banging the 2.5G TV Drum. Read. 
