Cingular Wireless LLC, the country’s largest cell-phone carrier, is set to launch a new video service for two new phones Tuesday.
Subscribers will pay $20 a month for access to clips from the Cartoon Network, Fox News, NBC and others. The service will use Cingular’s high-speed data network, which is available in 16 cities.
For an extra $5 a month, 3-5 minute clips of HBO shows like the Sopranos will be available as well.
Two phones, from Samsung and from LG, will go on sale Tuesday for the service. Each will cost $99 with a two-year contract.
The service is similar to Verizon Wireless’ $15-a-month Vcast service, which launched in February last year in some markets.
Cingular and some other carriers already provide live TV on some handsets, using different technology called MobiTV. Cingular charges $20 a month for that service.
Cingular is a joint venture of BellSouth Corp. and AT&T Inc. On Sunday, AT&T announced a deal to buy BellSouth for $67 million, which would give AT&T complete control of Cingular.
Cingular’s high-speed network is available in Austin, Texas; Baltimore; Boston; Chicago; Dallas; Houston; Las Vegas; Phoenix; Portland, Ore.; Salt Lake City; San Diego; San Francisco; San Jose, Calif.; Seattle; Tacoma, Wash.; and Washington, D.C.