NTL And O˛ To Bring Television To Mobile Phones
O˛ customers could soon be watching On The Buses on the bus, or shopping channels in the supermarket, as the mobile giant prepares to launch a trial with NTL’s broadcast division to bring multi-channel digital television to mobile phones.
The experimental broadcasts will begin in spring 2005 from nine transmitters covering 120 square kilometers around Oxford. The trial will see 500 O˛ customers given a multimedia mobile phone with a built-in digital television receiver, allowing them to watch 16 channels including music, sports, news, soaps, documentary, comedy and drama on the move.
In addition, the handsets will be able to receive interactive gaming and shopping services and will test the users’ demand for mobile television. NTL and O˛ hope that the trial will reveal the perceived value of specific content, and determine the likely viewing habits that could shape a fully commercial service.
The mobile handsets employ the newly developed DVB-H broadcast standard, developed by Sony Semiconductor & Electronic Solutions and Nokia to give low power consumption and robust reception – both essential requirements to deliver television content. Nokia will supply the hardware required to test the service in Oxford, as well as the obligatory eCommerce elements.
The trial is the first of its kind in the UK, and is unique in its focus on the commercial aspects of mobile television. The portfolio of channels is being developed by NTL, while O˛ will manage the delivery to trialist’s handsets.
Commenting on the experiment, Terry Howard, head of media business development at NTL’s Broadcast division, said: “We’ve performed extensive market research about consumer demand and viewing habits and it looks very positive but these results need to be validated in a trial environment in conjunction with key players in the industry. With our significant broadcasting assets, close relationships with content companies and track record of technology innovation, we’re ideally positioned to pull this together.”
He added: “Mobile television provides a new channel to market for existing media players seeking increased viewership and additional potential revenues. For mobile operators it provides a value-enhanced service and increased ARPU.”
Last month O˛ announced that users of its network will soon be able to access the UK’s first free-to-air advertiser funded video channel, broadcast direct to their handsets. The offering will screen advertiser funded programming and commercials from a consortium of content providers, although the service will run on traditional mobile networks and is not comparable to the service due to be trailed (see Mobiles Get Video Streams In Latest Advertiser Push).
Elsewhere, new research by INSTINCT costing €96 million is working on technology to send television signals to the next generation of 3G mobile phones. The studies, currently being carried out by West London’s Brunel University, hopes to bring mobile phone data services, digital television and the internet together in a single pocket-sized device by 2010 (see Digital Television Could Be On Mobile Phones By 2010).
NTL: 01256 752000 www.ntl.com O˛: 0870 5214 000 www.mmo2.co.ukRecent Television Stories from NewsLine ITV Reveals Plans To Launch Range Of New Channels Mind-Numbing Reality Television Comes Under Fire Channel 4 Confirms Intention To Link With BBC
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