Vodafone New Zealand is enabling live streaming services on its network, providing its 3G phone users with the ability to view music or sporting events as they happen. The first live feed is the concert stream of New Zealand band Evermore, from Auckland’s Transmission Room on 25 July.

Vodafone 3G users in 3G coverage areas will be able to stream the concert for free. This new mobile technology can be viewed anywhere and is not limited by the fixed boundaries of TV or the web.

Live streaming is similar to live TV with multiple cameras shooting the action. The feeds are either encoded on a PC on location, or if filming is conducted in remote areas, the feeds will be sent by radio to a 'production facility’. Then they are mixed and encoded into .3gp format and sent to Vodafone via an available internet connection – satellite, ADSL or Cable. Once the feed arrives at Vodafone it is passed through the streaming servers and made available to 3G customers via the live! portal.

Vodafone’s first live streaming sports event will be at New Zealand’s premier snowboarding competition – Burton NZ Open. The Burton NZ Open takes place on 3-5 August at Snow Park, Wanaka. Vodafone will stream all three days of the event which attracts world class riders from all over the world.

Vodafone 3G users will be able to stream the Evermore concert for free at 7.30pm on Tuesday 25th July. In the future users will pay a nominal amount per day to watch as much coverage as they want, and do not pay for data once they are inside Vodafone live!

Live streaming will be easy to access with links to the streams appearing on the Vodafone live! homepage.