Dr. John S. Ostrem, founder of Linux phone software vendor China MobileSoft, has funded a startup selling Linux-based media management and delivery software for content providers and 3G network operators. Nexage says its PhoneCast mobile video software (MVS) is currently being trialed by 10 prospective customers.

Ostrem currently serves as Lead Scientist at PalmSource, following its February, 2005 acquisition of China Mobilesoft. He also serves on the board of the Linux Phone Standards Forum (LiPS), an industry group aiming to standardize Linux phone middleware.

The size of Ostrem's investment in Nexage was not disclosed. Ostrem will also join the Nexage board of directors.

Nexage's primary product appears to be PhoneCast, a suite of software aimed at helping wireless operators, content providers, and media companies “ingest” media and deliver it to mobile handset users via streams or as downloads. PhoneCast complies with 3GPP/2 standards, Nexage says, and is available now for Linux/J2EE/JBoss servers.

PhoneCast Mobile Video Solution diagram

Nexage quotes research from iSuppli suggesting that video-capable mobile phones could grow from 700 million in 2005 to 2.2 billion in 2010, with video revenues growing from $550M to $14B over the same timeframe.

Research firm ABI, meanwhile, recently suggested that “converged home and mobile networks” could prove disruptive to network operators, by allowing consumers to directly access their home network-based media, bypassing carrier content services.

Ostrem stated, “Nexage's mobile video solution is an exciting product in a market with great potential.”

 
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