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Sprint’s All-New Expanded 4G LTE Network to Cover All Your Entertainment Viewing Needs

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In Hollywood, as well as the rest of the world, the future is mobile – with smartphones, tablets, and computers taking the place of televisions. As these new video viewing patterns emerge, the entertainment industry — particularly in movies and TV — must adjust. And Sprint has the experts who understand the signs and the strategies to cope with this changing landscape.

Leading the way with its all-new 4G LTE network, Sprint has the bandwidth to bring these programs to viewers when they want it and where they want it — and to make mobile devices the primary entertainment delivery platform.

Sprint-panel

From L to R: Laura Martin (Needham & Co. – Managing Editor), John Batter (M-GO – CEO), Juan Reyes (BluFocus – CTO), Ajay Shah (TVplus – CEO), Kenn Raaf (Sprint – Mobile Apps Team Leader)

Recently in Los Angeles, Sprint and the “4G’s” divulged the information content creators need to know to gain a foothold in this emerging entertainment landscape. Ignore these signs, and today’s producers, creators, and artists may well be left out of the coming mobile wave!

Look Toward Sprint and Their Expanded 4G LTE Network

In a newsmaker panel discussion, “Is Mobile the Key to Disrupting TV?” top executives from three local-change agents — M-GO, TVplus, and BluFocus — along with Needham Equity Research Analyst Laura Martin, share and discuss the latest hot topics in the field. They report on breaking news and offer avenues for producers to adjust their focus from user-generated content to a more social and interactive experience all on wireless platforms.

Attendees were also able to observe demonstrations on the highly-anticipated HTC One and other new 4G LTE handsets.

Sprint

Kim Wade, Sprint – Director of Solutions Engineering and Randy Rovegno (Bob Gold & Associates – VP, Brand Activation), Jarone Eitan Ashkenazi (Bob Gold & Associates – Account Coordinator)

A great company must have great people behind it, and these great Sprint experts were on-hand to share their expertise behind the genius that is Sprint:

John Batter

As one of the panel leaders, John Batter, the CEO of M-GO, brings his years of experience as a pioneer of all forms of digital media, particularly in ways people find, purchase, and enjoy their entertainment. Most recently, he heads M-GO a partnership between DreamWorks and Technicolor, which has forged content deals with top Hollywood studios and preloads on Intel, Samsung, and Vizio devices. Whether or not viewers know it, M-GO has changed the way the top movies and TV have arrived on their electronics equipment.

Previously, John was president of production for DreamWorks Animation, particularly in the field of 3D. Teaming with Jeffrey Katzenberg, John and the DreamWorks crew brought animated favorites “Shrek,” “Madagascar,” and more marquee titles to theater screens, then into fans’ homes. Prior to that, he was CFO of PDI/DreamWorks and co-founder of the company’s interactive joint venture with Microsoft. Even earlier, John served as general manager of Silicon Valley game innovator Electronic Arts, where he headed mobile gaming and led all aspects of EA’s global wireless business, including sales, marketing, and product development.

Bob Gold

Bob Gold, CEO of Bob Gold & Associates, boasts 30 years operating in public relations and marketing. In his three-plus decades in the business, Bob has launched and rebranded cable networks, startups, and Fortune 500 companies. In addition, he has helped raise millions of dollars for charities, and hundreds of students have learned the art of public relations under his tutelage and guidance. Bob has instituted numerous programs, systems, and operations over the years, and they’ve been highly connective in terms of profitability, strategy, and charity. His reputation as an industry pioneer can be traced back to his inventive, one-of-a-kind outlook and out-of-the-box thinking, resulting in revelatory ideas.

Laura Martin

As managing director of entertainment, cable, and media at Needham & Co., Laura Martin has been a leader among leaders. She is a nationally known researcher, with all the pertinent info on the biggest Internet, entertainment, and cable companies. She brings to the table a long resume at major investment firms such as Drexel Burnham Lambert, Capital Research & Management, Credit Suisse First Boston, Vivendi Universal, all contributing to her banking and analyst expertise as related to media. She founded Media Metrics, which was nationally ranked as “Best of the Independent Research Boutiques” by Institutional Investor for several years. Laura earned her BA at Stanford and her MBA at Harvard Business School; she holds a Chartered Financial Analyst designation as well.

Kenn Raaf

Team leader for the Sprint Mobile Apps Group Ken Raaf watches over the development and management of entertainment and consumer-focused mobile experiences for not only Sprint, but also Sprint’s prepaid brands Boost and Virgin Mobile. Raaf engages with lifestyle brands such as MTV, OWN, E!, ESPN, Univision, and more, offering guidance, support, and know-how in the service of successfully launching branded partner experiences and apps. Before he signed on with Sprint, Raaf co-founded GoTV Networks, the first multimedia/mobile video services for the industry. At GoTV, Raaf was involved in every aspect of developing, launching, and managing the lifecycle of highly popular mobile media services for the consumer mobile phone market.

Juan Reyes

BluFocus is represented on the panel by Juan Reyes, the company’s chief technology officer. Headquartered in North Hollywood, Calif., this quality assurance and certification facility deals with entertainment content and technologies such as mobile devices, Blu-ray discs, DVDs, set-top boxes, displays, gaming consoles, and more in the areas of broadcast, home entertainment, theatrical, and digital distribution. Juan has contributed to the development of numerous entertainment technologies, including UMD, 2D and 3D Blu-ray, UltraViolet, 2nd Screen Apps and more. He is also actively involved in many of the technical groups including the Blu-ray Disc Association, DECE (UltraViolet), DEG, International 3D Society, MESA, CEA, SMPTE, Open IP TV Forum, 2nd Screen Society and the Application Developers Alliance. In addition, Juan is on the Board of Advisors for the Connected TV – Hollywood Alliance and an Advisory Board member for the 2nd Screen Society.

Ajay Shah

Now CEO at TVplus, Ajay Shah has created several successful companies working with digital technology. Originally called Spot411 Technologies, TVplus has aimed to change the way consumers take in digital content, with the goal of creating richer content and social experiences around television. Earlier, Ajay co-founded Zustek Corporation for email marketing software and solutions, as well as Handshake.com. Ajay graduated from UC Irvine, and he won the SBA Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 2006.

Kim Wade

Also joining the panel is Sprint’s own director of solutions engineering Kim Wade, who speaks from the experience of heading an 80-strong team of solutions engineers and cloud solutions managers for the West region. This group creates the wireless, wireline, and converged solutions that Sprint’s top business and public-sector customers use daily. Kim brings 16 years of expertise in the wireless industry, particularly as applied to cutting-edge technology applications and packages for Sprint Nextel in Southern California and the West. In his decade-plus with Sprint, he has achieved the highest levels of market penetration and hit upon a winning formula through industry specialization. For these and other reasons, Sprint’s Presidents Council has honored Kim on several occasions for outstanding performance.

About the author

Jane Emery