Broadcasting live events is crucial to the success of TV on mobile phones and tablet computers, says Qualcomm Chief Executive Officer Paul Jacobs. “I believe in mobile TV still. Our approach to it didn’t get enough subscribers,” said Jacobs. Qualcomm garnered nearly one million subscribers for its Flo TV mobile- television service before it suspended sales of Flo TV after it struggled to attract more subscribers.

Live sports and other events may be vital for TV services on phones and tablets, and vendors should allocate sufficient bandwidth to those broadcasts, Jacobs said. Requiring consumers to tune in to watch a show at a specific time was a “total non-starter” for Flo TV, Jacobs said.

Jacobs said that he was considering a range of options for the Flo TV business, including putting it in a joint venture or shutting it and selling the spectrum.

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