Mobile TV

BBC calls halt to live mobile TV plan; lack of user interest blamed

Paul Rasmussen — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 12:13:53 -0400

Having trialled the service for 12 months, the BBC said it would halt plans to agree on syndication deals with operators to deliver mobile TV. The TV broadcaster said trials involving Orange, Vodafone, T-Mobile, 3 and Sky had failed to gain user interest, and the results "suggested that the level of demand for content delivered via 3G was uncertain and may, at least in the short to medium term, be relatively small."

Despite the trial attracting fewer than 600 mobile users per day--at its peak--the BBC has insisted this poor level of uptake was not the reason for a much wider review of the syndication of linear TV channels to mobile and other platforms. "Nor are BBC plans for mobile TV coverage of the 2012 Olympic Games impacted by the decision," said a spokesman.

This strategic review would seem to have been triggered by the ongoing success of the BBC's iPlayer that is already available via 3G and Wi-Fi, whereas the review into syndication is centred on whether these channels are integrated into mobile operators' portals.

This backtracking by the BBC comes at a time when most European operators (other than Switzerland, Holland and Italy's 3) have effectively abandoned plans for DVB-H, while at the same time offering limited enthusiasm to push expensive 3G bandwidth as a means of accessing mobile TV.

However, according to Screen Digest, the number of unicast mobile TV subscribers (using 3G) is expected to triple over the next 5 years, mainly driven by events in France which is forecast to have 64 per cent of the European market by 2013. France is enjoying this relative success because of its bundling policy, combining mobile TV access in its high-end 3G contracts.

For more on this story:
Mobile Today and RapidTV News

T-Mobile mulls German mobile TV launch, as DMB makes strides

Paul Rasmussen — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 10:35:54 -0400

Having seen the collapse of two previous attempts to launch mobile TV in Germany, T-Mobile has indicated that it is studying "all possibilities" concerning starting its own service next year based upon the DVB-H standard.

The company is reported to be negotiating with Mobile Broadcasting to build a network of DVB-H transmitters--T-Mobile is not allowed to own a German DVB-H licence itself--before unveiling its ‘Handy TV' service. The impetus behind T-Mobile's potential involvement in this troubled sector is its ownership of the mobile TV rights for the German football Bundesliga. The company currently distributes this content via its own UMTS network, which it probably wants to use for more valuable data traffic than mobile TV.

While previous DVB-H services have failed in Germany, the International DMB Advancement Group (IDAG) claims it now has 13 broadcasters in 11 European and Asian countries committed to the DMB-based mobile TV service branded MiniTV.

A service has already been launched in Norway, where six TV channels and 15 radio channels are broadcasting free-to-air. In The Netherlands, the Mobiele TV Nederland company has conducted test transmissions and will launch regular broadcasts in 2010.

IDAG says it is currently in talks with major handset manufacturers, mobile operators and payment service technology vendors to enhance the current free-to-air services and increase the number of offerings available.

Other European IDAG members include Radio Telefis Eireann/RTE (Ireland), Radio Wroclaw (Poland), RAI Way (Italy), RTL (France), RTL 102,5 (Italy), Schweizer Radio/DRS (Switzerland), The Technology Partnership/TTP (UK) and World Family of Radio Maria (Italy).

For more on this story:
Telegeography and Broadband TV News

Irish operator launches mobile TV service

Ian Channing — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 12:22:21 -0400

Telefonica O2 Ireland has reached an agreement with Norway-based Rubberduck Media Lab for the delivery of a mobile TV and video service for its Irish subscribers. Under the terms of the agreement Rubberduck will provide a completely outsourced service including content acquisition and provision as well as technical support and management.

Already launched, the service, known as O2 TV, is available for both prepay and postpay O2 customers using a video-enabled handset connected to either an EDGE or 3G network.

Users can subscribe to two packages, one with Sky channels (sports and news) and an O2 Lifestyle-pack of well-known channels such as RTE, BBC, CNN, Cartoon Network and Travel Channel. The Sky sports and news package costs six euros for a 30-day pass with the Lifestyle package costing five euros.

For more on this story go to Cellular News

Mobile TV is fastest growing channel, says BBC

Paul Rasmussen — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 12:03:32 -0400

Having quietly conducted beta trials of mobile TV for some months, the UK radio and TV broadcaster, the BBC, is now testing a new mobile TV web site following the success of its iPlayer service-- an on-demand application for PC and cell phone users. The company also announced that it planned to dramatically increase the level of BBC TV content available to cell phone users, declaring mobile was the fastest growing of its distribution channels.

According to BBC controller of future media and technology, Erik Huggers, the firm was looking at a selection of WiFi-enabled handsets from HTC, Motorola, Palm, Samsung and Sony Ericsson to support the new mobile TV service. (The iPhone was not included due to its lack of WiFi video streaming support). "The purpose is to test uptake and quality and assess how we might be able to stream live services to an increasing number of mobile devices in the future, but we are some way off this becoming a full BBC service."

One hurdle the BBC will need to tackle concerns cell phone users watching this live broadcast TV without a TV licence--this is a criminal offence that could lead to prosecution and a £1,000 fine.

For more on this story:
Mobile Today and MocoNews

Orange France ups iPhone war with mobile TV launch, and opens App store

Paul Rasmussen — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 13:36:14 -0400

Still smarting from the decision by the French courts that its deal with Apple for iPhone exclusivity breached anti-competition rules, Orange is planning to change the rules of engagement by launching an iPhone-based mobile TV service. The company hopes the move will put SFR and Bouygues Telecom, which plan to offer the iPhone this month, on the defensive.

The Orange mobile TV service, the first offered on an iPhone, will include 64 channels. Around 20 of these channels will be freely available to subscribers paying at least €42 a month for the iPhone, but to access all 64 Orange TV channels, users must pay an additional €9 a month. Orange said the mobile TV application, which was developed internally, will be available for download from its new App store as of 7 April.

The mention of an App store, or as Orange insists--App Shop--is another new venture for the company, albeit that the service will again only be available in France later this year. However, the company claims the "Shop" will offer "tried and tested" apps for all its handsets including those using Symbian, Windows Mobile OSs and the iPhone. Download apps will be added to subscribers' phone bills.

What remains unanswered is how the Orange Shop will be greeted by Apple, Nokia and RIM, given that these handset vendors are heavily promoting their own App stores. The company is reported to be discussing with both Nokia and RIM about how it can integrate its App Shop with their App store offerings. Also of note is Orange's interest in opening its Shop service to users of Java-based phones. The company claims these particular handsets would only display applications for download that were compatible with the model in question, and Orange aims to simplify the process by dropping each download into a "My Application" folder.

For more on this story:
Total Telecom, Pocket-Lint and RapidTV

EC tax threatens success of mobile TV uptake

Paul Rasmussen — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 12:59:45 -0500

Despite having recently called for the EU countries to work together to support the DVB-H mobile TV standard, the European Commission has announced proposals to introduce a 14 per cent customs tax on the import of mobile TV-enabled handsets.

This move has been is strongly criticised by the Broadcast Mobile Convergence Forum (BCMF) as putting at risk the development of mobile TV into a mass-market service. BMCF chairman, Franklin Selgert said: "The BMCF members are surprised by the non-harmonised approach of the EC regarding the development of mobile TV - fostering it on the one hand and setting barriers to its adoption on the other."

The tax would be levied on high-end mobile TV cellphones not built within the EU, as well as components produced outside the EU and then used to manufacturer mobile TV-enabled handsets in the EU. The apparent reason for this new tax, according to the EC, is driven by its intention to reclassify certain mobile handsets as 'multi-functional devices', which would incur additional taxes on phones with TV receivers.

For more on this story:
Mobile News

3UK expands mobile TV offering

Paul Rasmussen — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 12:30:00 -0500

UK mobile operator 3 UK is launching a new mobile TV section called 3 On Demand on its web portal. Managed by Mobix Interactive the new portal area will offer a wide range of new content in addition to 3 UK's streaming TV channels (3 Live) and the existing Sky mobile TV service. Subscribers will pay between £1.29 and £1.99 for a week's access to an episode. Delivered by Mobix's Adrenalin platform, users will enjoy functionality allowing them to pause and resume without the need for a new client application.

For more on this story:
- go to Mobile Europe and Cellular News

Related stories:
Live content keeps mobile TV alive
EC unveils mobile TV guidelines

Management buyout at IPWireless

Paul Rasmussen — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 12:18:11 -0500

Twelve months after buying TDD 3G solutions developer IPWireless for US$100 million, NextWave has sold 75 per cent of the company for just US$1 million. The buyer was a consortium made up of the original IPWireless management team led by founder William Jones. Apparently the new owners, who will also have to fund the deal's transaction costs of US$500,000, have found themselves an unnamed but seemingly affluent new backer who is prepared to supply long-term funding. NextWave Wireless will retain a minority stake in the new, privately-owned company that will continue to be based at its locations in the UK and California.

IPWireless, founded in 1999, focused its attention, with some success, on the underused Time Division Duplex (TDD) spectrum allocated to 3G operators. Its TDtv mobile TV technology underwent successful trials in the UK in 2007 and a commercial pilot was launched in London in early 2008. IPWireless also provided the infrastructure for T-Mobile's 'Internet 4G' service in the Czech Republic which currently delivers over 10 Terabytes of data a day.

For more:
- go to The Register and Cellular News

Related stories:
NextWave buys IPWireless
NextWave offloads IPWireless
Orange and T-Mobile UK to Jointly Pilot New Mobile TV Broadcast Service

Rumour Mill: Is Europe about to dump DVB-H requirement for mobile TV?

Paul Rasmussen — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 13:44:20 -0500

In March, the EU issued firm guidelines that DVB-H was very much the 'desired' standard to be adopted for mobile TV services in Europe. However, a statement from the EU issued Wednesday would indicate this support for DVB-H is beginning to evaporate, as officials play with words centred more on interoperability of mobile TV standards than the enforcement of a single technology.

While Viviane Reding, EU Telecoms and Media Commissioner, made reference to the success of mobile TV in Austria, Italy, Finland and the Netherlands as countries where services have been successfully launched, many mobile operators still struggle to implement a successful business model and uptake remains dismally low. A new study by Informa Telecoms and Media claims only South Korea and Japan are expected to see solid growth of mobile TV for the next two years, while Europe is not likely to experience market growth until sometime in 2009.

As reported in Mobile Europe, this week's statement, "aspects related to interoperability and roaming for mobile TV should be given due consideration in light of the wireless nature of the services," is particularly telling given the use of "due consideration"--made more interesting when measured against Reding's statement in March: "For Mobile TV to take off in Europe, there must first be certainty about the technology."

For more:
- go to Mobile Europe

Related article:
DVB-H near collapse in Germany, authorities demand licence back
Where now for mobile TV? Editorial
Brussels goes for DVB-H

Boom time predicted for Mobile TV

Paul Rasmussen — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 13:06:22 -0500

Revenues from Mobile TV services could increase almost one hundred-fold in the next four years, up from US$1.5 billion this year to US$100 billion by 2012. At present the bulk of Mobile TV revenues are derived from subscription fees but over time the advertising business model will begin to dominate, accounting for nearly 50 per cent of revenues by 2013. According to the latest report from Informa Telecoms & Media the strongest growth in Mobile TV will be in the early starter markets of South Korea and Japan. European markets are not expected to see significant uptake of Mobile TV until 2009. The US market will be held back by confusion over standards but once these problems are resolved and the industry backs a single standard the US market is expected to grow rapidly. Interestingly, given the arguments that have been raging over whether Mobile TV is best delivered by broadcast technologies or 3G, Informa's research indicates that the market will end up as a mix of technologies which will be matched to a mix of audience experiences.

For more on this story go to Mobile Europe

Related articles:
Forecast: Mobile broadcast TV revenues just $2.7B by 2013
Growing pains for Mobile TV