Mobile carriers still offline in a world of digital content

February 13, 2008 On Monday morning, the first of four days of the world's biggest annual cell phone event, I learned that MTV sells more videos through Apple's iTunes than it does through 50 mobile carriers combined outside the U.S. For myriad reasons, mobile users are forsaking video services offered by giant carriers like Vodafone in favor of PC Internet-based sources like iTunes, from where they transfer content over to their MP3 players or phones, a practice known as "sideloading." "Mobile operators have a big opportunity, but they're being lapped," says MTV senior vp digital media Gideon Bierer, who sells such shows as "South Park" and "SpongeBob SquarePants" on-demand to gadget users.

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