14 DAY TRIAL // It seems that more and more mobile users will be able to enjoy Mobile TV in the following several years. According to an analysis by Cantab Wireless, the total number of users to receive Mobile TV by 2013 is expected to reach 472 million. In addition, it seems that the highest subscriber growth will be registered in Asia at first, mainly in Korea and Japan.
The analyst also says that Europe and the USA are expected to see growth starting with 2010. It seems that Europe will probably be the last to catch up with the move, as there will be a shortage of radio spectrum prior to the analogue TV network shutdown, which could set back the launch of mobile TV networks, and UK is most likely to experience such problems.
Mobile phone operators are expected to start offering mobile TV services from 2012-2013 onwards, while using upgraded LTE networks. Given the fact that the networks will be able to offer increased capacity, they will turn into strong competitors against broadcast TV systems. At the same time, says the analyst, the number of Mobile TV users will not be affected too much by the economic slowdown.
Dr Juha Korhonen, the author of the report, says, “even more important than choosing the right technical standard is choosing the right business model.” The report further presents a review of various mobile TV standards. For the time being, it is not clear how companies would turn Mobile TV into a profitable business, yet it seems that from the business models that were tested around the world, some proved successful, while others didn't.
Broadcast TV and cellular carriers argue over the Mobile TV business, given the fact that one side knows what TV broadcasting is all about, while the other has expertise in mobile devices. While the former have contacts with content producers, the latter own distribution channels for receivers found in mobile phones, while also being in touch with mobile consumers. For the time being, operators do not have the necessary infrastructure to provide the service to masses and also lack access to content, so both sides need each other to make the business successful.
Broadcast Mobile TV systems are expected to become popular on a medium term basis, but they are also predicted to lose their popularity in front of point-to-point Mobile TV channels, which would be provided to users through upgraded high-capacity mobile phone networks.