According to the Wall Street Journal, Samsung plans to equip cell phones to pick up digital signals from local TV broadcasters. Cell phones would essentially become portable television sets that would get the same reception as TVs using antennas.However, for the technology to work, broadcasters will need to transmit separate beams to portable devices equipped with a Samsung chipset. Other devices, including laptop computers, in-vehicle TV sets and digital video players, would be able to receive signals when outfitted with the chipset.Samsung plans to demonstrate prototypes it says will show its TV technology goes beyond the reach of other wireless-video approaches at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas next week.Cell phone manufacturers and carriers have been racing to develop video technologies in hope of finding a new growth engine, now that markets for basic cell phone service are becoming saturated.

So far, carriers have used upgraded wireless networks primarily to deliver videos and live TV programming. For example, MobiTV, a privately held company, offers 35 live channels for Sprint Nextel Corp. and Cingular Wireless and Modeo is raising capital for another wireless-TV network that would use a different technology standard.