Sling Media Denies Collaboration With AT&T on 3G Streaming

[MacRumors]

Yesterday, AT&T announced that it had finally decided to allow Sling Media's SlingPlayer Mobile to stream video over the carrier's 3G network. As part of the announcement, AT&T claimed that it had "worked with" Sling Media to develop a version of the application that was optimized for performance on AT&T's network. Early reports on the approval also included specific quotes from AT&T Mobility CEO Ralph de la Vega claiming that Sling Media had modified the application in response to AT&T's requests.

"The key for us is Sling Media was willing to work with us to revise the app to make it more bandwidth sensitive, "Ralph de la Vega, president and CEO, AT&T Mobility and Consumer Markets, said in a statement. "They made important changes to more efficiently use 3G network bandwidth and conserve wireless spectrum so that we were able to support the app on our 3G mobile broadband network."

De la Vega's statements, however, no longer appear in AT&T's official press release, and Ars Technica has heard from Sling Media, which claims that it did not work with AT&T on the application's approval.

"We didn't change anything," Sling Media's John Santoro told Ars. "AT&T never discussed any specific requirements with us."

Santoro explained that SlingPlayer Mobile has always contained code to adapt the stream quality to the given network conditions. AT&T has been in discussions with Sling since it was first released last year, but AT&T never asked the company to make specific modifications. No changes were made to the app's 3G streaming capabilities between its being barred from AT&T and now.

Sling Media's claims and AT&T's apparent backtracking suggest that AT&T may simply have decided either that SlingPlayer Mobile's video streaming would no longer place an excessive burden on the carrier's network or that its continued refusal to allow such streaming was simply indefensible as expectations for wireless data networks have grown. Consequently, the carrier may have been looking to the SlingPlayer Mobile approval announcement as a venue to encourage future developers of bandwidth-intensive applications to reach out to AT&T to ensure from the very beginning that such applications are optimized for network performance.

Article Link: Sling Media Denies Collaboration With AT&T on 3G Streaming

 

[the-oz-man]

Wow. Another dirty little secret from AT&T.

 

[Golfhog44]

Sling Media Denies Collaboration With AT&T on 3G Streaming

Why would Slingmedia even come out and say this? AT&T approving this will make Sling a ton of money but instead of just agreeing with them they try to make AT&T look bad and possibly piss them off. This is typical of the way Sling is run as a company. From top to bottom it is one of the worst. Simple fact is that they have the best product and that is why people continue to use them, because with the way they are run overall, they are a terrible company and make horrible decisions.

 

[sbrhwkp3]

Hahaha who cares why Sling would do it. I LOVE that they did it.

Keep rubbing AT&T's nose in its own poop, like a dog that needs to be disciplined.

 

[Tones2]

I'm confused. Did Slingmedia submit a revised app that works under 3G that is waiting to be approved or not?

Tony

 

[calderone]

Wow. Another dirty little secret from AT&T.

So you side with Sling over AT&T just because Sling said so?

 

[CubusX]

Laughable

AT&T is full of garbage...

 

[ghostface147]

Who cares, just make it work.

 

[the-oz-man]

So you side with Sling over AT&T just because Sling said so?

No need to pick sides as the proof is in the pulled statement by AT&T. They knew it was BS and were just trying to save face.

 

[bigmc6000]

when??

So when will this be updated? Please, hurry up...

 

[Zeos]

Is AT&T a mess, or what?

 

[CubusX]

Never

Who cares, just make it work.

Never on AT&T's network. People are still waiting for Skype to be able to work over 3G. It was released months ago that it would allow it, any word as of yet? No, why? AT&T's network can not handle it.

The iPad is being released to work over their 3G with unlimited data, good luck AT&T users.

 

[str1f3]

Never on AT&T's network. People are still waiting for Skype to be able to work over 3G. It was released months ago that it would allow it, any word as of yet? No, why? AT&T's network can not handle it.

The iPad is being released to work over their 3G with unlimited data, good luck AT&T users.

Actually Apple has now allowed VOIP over 3G since the iPad's introduction. Both iCall and Fring have updated to support it. Skype has not updated it yet because they are adding upgrades to the app such as CD quality sound and 3G reception along with VOIP over 3G.

 

[cmaier]

AT&T is incompetent.

 

[ThunderSkunk]

2010, the year AT&T finally hires a single PR person from outside the company.

...who looks at the last two years, and their expiring exclusive on the iphone, and throws it into damage control hyperdrive.

By the time that contract is up for renewal, it'll be AT&T that makes the iphone great.

 

[VenusianSky]

Why would Slingmedia even come out and say this? AT&T approving this will make Sling a ton of money but instead of just agreeing with them they try to make AT&T look bad and possibly piss them off. This is typical of the way Sling is run as a company. From top to bottom it is one of the worst. Simple fact is that they have the best product and that is why people continue to use them, because with the way they are run overall, they are a terrible company and make horrible decisions.

I don't get it either. I was considering purchasing a Slingbox because AT&T's annoucement, but now Sling just sounds like a bunch of arrogant douchebags.

 

[str1f3]

I don't get it either. I was considering purchasing a Slingbox because AT&T's annoucement, but now Sling just sounds like a bunch of arrogant douchebags.

Because they were being honest? AT&T made the mistake. Either way I don't care as long as the Slingplayer app will support 3G.

 

[HiRez]

How can someone like De La Vega just make flat out public lies like that and think no one is going to call him on it? I guess it comes easily to businesspeople. Weird.

 

[frjonah]

I don't get it either. I was considering purchasing a Slingbox because AT&T's annoucement, but now Sling just sounds like a bunch of arrogant douchebags.

+1

AT&T was, basically, just trying to find a diplomatic way of saying, "we capitulated." Instead of winning gracefully, Slingbox slaps them in the face for being political. Very poor business strategy!

I'm the first to point out how unhappy I've been with AT&T's service and pricing, but I still believe in being civil, particularly when someone's making what appears to be a real effort to come around.

Very sad!

 

[macduke]

Haha, AT&T caught in a lie! I thought it was too good to be true that AT&T would actually WORK with developers. This is really sad and pathetic of them to have to resort to something like this. Makes me lose some trust in them too.

 

[wheatie]

Wow, maybe soon I won't need my iPhone Jailbreak

To answer all:

- They retracted the statement because AT&T can get into a heap of trouble if they are known to be accepting or rejecting apps for the iPhone, especially since both AT&T and Apple told the FCC only Apple determines what gets into the App Store.

- Yes Sling is a horribly run company. I own a Slingbox Classic, for a while when they announced the iPhone app release they said it wouldn't work unless you upgraded to a newer Slingbox. They backtracked on that and allow the Classic to connect, they just say it isn't "supported" so if there is trouble you're on your own.

- Yes AT&T has their issues, trust me I'm not a huge fan of them. I think if you live in San Fran or NYC service and 3G data is horrible with them. I live in Atlanta and the service is very good (maybe because the wireless division is based here). I get up to 3 MB/s on my iPhone 3G.

- I follow all the Apple and iPhone news. I think because Apple chose AT&T for the iPad data service and the fact that LTE isn't built out yet, AT&T will remain the sole US carrier of the iPhone when they release a new phone hardware in June or July.

- I don't think Verizon is as willing to play ball with Apple and I don't think Steve wants to build a CDMA phone just for one country.

- I think Apple had stern words with AT&T and they are trying to boost their network to support the iPhone and knowing that competition might come in 2011 and they want to be ready and keep as many iPhone customers as they can when there is competition.

- As for Verizon, I thought they would be the ideal carrier and the iPhone would rock on them, but now I think their network will face the same issues that AT&T's network faces now if they get a huge influx of iPhone users.

The truth is no wireless users consume as much bandwidth as iPhone users (with those crappy BlackBerries or Droids).

Verizon will have the same or worse issues than AT&T if they were to get the iPhone. At least AT&T knows the issues already and is working to fix them.

It would be ideal if Apple decides to but a LTE chip inside the next iPhone version so that when LTE comes out we all have choices.

I can't wait till iPhone OS 4.0.

Back to the subject line, now that Sling will be able to be used over 3G now I just need Apple to allow multi-tasking of apps running and build a easy user interface like SBS Settings to turn off WiFi, Bluetooth and adjust brightness ; and allow a Google Voice app.

These are the only reasons I have my iPhone Jailbreaked.

 

[twobslick]

So Is 3G streaming working now?

Has anyone tried?

 

[carlgo]

No love for AT&T, no coverage for my iPhone, but Slingbox's statement sure seems arrogant and thoughtless. Lots of people seem to dislike Slingbox as a company for reasons I don't know about, but they seem to be right on.

 

[danielchow]

Who cares, just make it work.

really, you're right!

also, perhaps ATT (AND Sling) ought to find another PR agency to handle its PR fluff-info. how a company's image comes across has much to do with which PR agency they've choosen to speak for them. poor PR, embarrassing to bad image. good pr, well, you know.

it's really a battle of one PR agency's words over or against another. meanhwhile, the agencies' clients stand back and hope they don't say anything stupid.

for us consumers, who cares, just make it work!

 

[icrude]

I'm pissed. I bought the app and the HD slingbox yesterday because of this. $330 later....