EU picks DVB-H(not FLO)

As expected, the European Commission has decided to favor the DVB-H standard and will add it to its list of standards this month. The commission is calling for a single broadcasting technology standard because it wants to accelerate mobile TV efforts across Europe. 

The news is a blow to Qualcomm's competing MediaFLO technology, which the firm was hoping to get licensed in Europe. In December, the firm announced it had conducted a joint technical trial in Cambridge with British Sky Broadcasting.

The FLO Forum, which was formed to promote MediaFLO technology, said today that it believes the commission's intention of favoring one particular mobile TV technology for Europe could stall the advancement of the mobile TV ecosystem.

Nevertheless, we think this EC mandate could provide a much-needed boost to the U.S. DVB-H market, which has so far languished. DVB-H proponents HiWire and Modeo have yet to secure an operator partner. Hiwire partnered with T-Mobile USA to test its service in Las Vegas this summer, but the carrier has not committed to a commercial deployment.  

For more on the EC's decision:
- read this press release

Related articles:
E.U. pressing for DVB-H standard. Article
European mandate may propel U.S. DVB-H. Article