Yesterday, the usual suspects, one hopeful and Intel formed a DVB-H centric alliance for mobile TV, mobile digital TV or mDTV, as they called it. Hours later, Nellymoser's CEO John Peterbaugh was halfway through explaining his company's position when he referred to mobile TV as "IPTV."
"Whoa, Nelly!," I should have said. IPTV? Sure, it runs on an IP architecture much like the traditional IPTV in your home, but we mustn't confuse them. John admitted as much but wanted answers: "What should I call it?"
Well, I had to sleep on it. "Mobile digital television" works for now, because the technology isn't living up to its IP potential. But once true interactivity (VOD is hardly interactive) and more value is added, the marketers should coin mIPTV or my pick, wIPTV (pronounced "Wip" TV), for the handset screen. Quadruple plays are a compendium of IP features, after all, and helping subscribers understand that might further the value-add of the bundle. In any case, mDTV sounds like a mobile insecticide. - Brian