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AFX News Limited
Telecom operators and broadcasters launch UK's first mobile TV trial
LONDON (AFX) Leading telecom companies and broadcasters have joined forces to launch what they claim is the first UK television service for mobile phone users.
The service, available in Oxford from next week, will allow 400 customers of mobile operator 02 PLC to watch television programmes including UK soap Eastenders and US drama Lost from special mobile phone handsets.
O2 and Arqiva, previously known as NTL Broadcast, have joined with mobile operator Nokia for the trial, which will run for up to six months and is designed to test the latest multi-media mobile services.
The convergence of TV, music and video clips on mobile phones is seen by analysts as one the next big trends in the media as third generation mobile technology becomes more widespread.
Sixteen channels are being offered to O2 customers in the trial, including BBC ONE, CNN, and MTV.
Customers will be able to select their favourite programme from an on-screen
service guide, search for specific items as well as set their handset to alert
them when a show starts.
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Nokia 7710 smartphone, pictured here.


Mobile phone provider O2 (O2) in partnership with Nokia and Arqiva began a trial of a new service that allows customers to watch broadcast TV on their mobile phone. The trial began on Thursday in Oxford. Four hundred O2 customers have been selected to participate. According to O2  the trial represents a balanced selection of the population. 

Participants have been supplied with Nokia 7710 smartphones, that can receive 16 channels. The trial service currently carries BBC ONE, BBC TWO, BBC News 24, ITV 1, ITV 2, Channel 4 and 5, Eurosport, Cartoon Network, CNN, Discovery Channel, MTV, ShortsTV, Sky News, Sky Sports News and Sky Travel.

TV shows are transmitted using a technology called Digital Video Broadcasting for Handhelds (DVB-H). It requires a special receiver to be connected to the mobile phone. Nokia has said they plan to build support for the DVB-H technology into future Nokia phones. Using DVB-H the phones will get about eight hours per charge, this is because the DVB-H uses the "time slicing" technology.

Many other UK providers have offered mobile TV on cellphones, however this is the first to offer regular full length TV shows. Most other providers use the 3G video-streaming technology. "3G is perfect for two-minute video clips. But, if you're watching a 90-minute football game, we think DVB-H is the most suitable,"  said Dave Williams, O2's chief technical officer

Customers can use an onscreen programme to select programmes they wish to watch and it will alert them when the show starts.

In South Korea many mobile phone companies already offer television on mobile phones using a system called digital mobile broadcast.  In the US a recent survey by InStat, found few Americans are interested in mobile TV.  Canadian company Telus also recently began to offer mobile TV services.

"By establishing relationships through activities such as this, we hope that potential challenges will be minimized and mobile TV becomes a commercial reality sooner than is currently possible," said Dave Williams, O2's chief technical officer