Today Qualcomm Inc. announced it is planning to roll out technology that can broadcast video to mobile phones in Japan in 2008.Cell phones can already be used in Japan to watch terrestrial digital TV broadcasts as well as download music, surf the Internet and pay for train tickets.The new Qualcomm service, called MediaFLO, will let viewers watch live streaming and also download music videos, news programmes and sports clips.Qualcomm, based in San Diego, California, is spending $800 million on the technology and plans to launch the service with Verizon Wireless, a venture of Verizon Communications and Vodafone Group Plc.

Qualcomm plans to market a chip during the first quarter of next year that can receive both MediaFLO and One-Seg signals for wireless devices. Such handsets may become available as early as 2008.