There's a new radio broadcast service which does not require a radio set. And it can penetrate inside buildings. Please welcome the cell-phone radio - the new cousin of satellite radio, streaming radio and FM radio!

Once looked at as a "supporting medium", development of radio has taken giant strides in 2004. Streaming-radio-on-the-web was an excellent concept which happened before its time. Satellite radio was another major innovation in radio in the recent years. This was followed by Podcasting, which rode on the success of Apple Computer's iPod. And now, it seems we must get ready to recieve streaming radio on cell-phones.

The last few years were really significant for the radio medium.

Cellphones become Radio Receivers
California based Mspot Radio Service delivers streaming news, talk and music on Sprint’s mobile phone service for a monthly subscription of $5.95.

Here's how it is designed to work:
•The role of the Internet as the backbone of commerce is widely accepted.
•All future cellphone instruments are expected to be web-enabled.
•Cell coverage is about as universal as can be! (Agreed that there's some way to go for 100% coverage - but the gap is closing rapidly. And cell coverage is definitely far superior to satellite coverage.)
Therefore, if radio programming is streamed over the Web, then it is possible for web-enabled cellphones pick up & play back the signals.

Does this translate to a ready formula for commercially successful radio broadcast service on cell-phones? That's what mobile radio services like Mspot feel.

Although currently offered only through Sprint, Mspot expects other mobile operators to join the bandwagon. Meanwhile, Virgin Radio has also announced a similar service for 3G handsets.

The iPod Revolution
Apple Computers' latest invention, the iPod has redefined 'cool'. And the (typically) amateur radio programming (called Podcasts) are catching on with owners of iPods and other 'me-too' brands.

Podcasters are like web loggers: amateurs who create radio-like programs of commentary, music & humor, save them in MP3 audio format and post them on web-sites which are iPod enabled. This site automatically notifies the millions of owners of iPods whenever a new podcast is posted.

In a manner of speaking, podcasts have developed on the lines of Weblogs (or blogs, the online commentaries which are alternative news sources posted mainly by concerned netizens).

Note: A recent survey conducted in the U.S.A. estimates nearly 30% of iPod owners have downloaded podcast programs from the Internet. That translates to 6 million+ people listening to a form of communication that emerged less than a year ago!

Satellite Radio
Satellite radio's USP is high quality broadcast with global reach (unlike the 'local' reach of FM radio). But, like conventional FM radio, Satellite radio has a basic limitation - it is one-way as it does not offer any feedback mechanism to the subscriber to define preferences, highlight favourites, etc. - unlike streaming radio technology.

Satellite radio in its current form is likely to be threatened by iPods & mobile radio services. Not just because of the above limitation, but also because satellite radio service is expensive, requires a special (expensive) receiver and is subject to the vagaries of satellite signals!

Not to mention, mobile radio services including podcasts, (like most web-based services) can be scaled up at will.

It should come as no surprise that satellite radio is still struggling for acceptance.

The Final Word
It is obvious that the ubiquitous cellphone is an ideal carrier of streaming radio on web-enabled cellphones, combining the features of streaming radio & the iPod.

It is also clear that cellphone subscribers have been "trained" to pay for every service they enjoy via their cellphones.

The success of Mobile Radio Services will ride equally on both!