14 DAY TRIAL // Samsung Electronics, MobiTV, Nokia Siemens Networks, Rohde & Schwarz and SES AMERICOM's IP-PRIME have joined forces to create a distribution platform that will enable mobile TV services in the United States utilizing local broadcast TV spectrum. The platform will deliver local and national programming and interactive applications to consumers' mobile devices through local TV stations' existing transmitters and spectrum.
The platform will be used to showcase a complete mobile TV technology solution in 2008, paving the way for commercial launch of mobile broadcast TV services in 2009. It will enable local TV broadcasters to fully capitalize on their spectrum, bringing new business opportunities to the broadcasting, advertising, wireless, digital media, interactive services, and consumer electronics industries. Consumer trials are planned for several U.S. cities and will be announced at a later date.
The platform will use Advanced Vestigial Sideband (A-VSB), a backward-compatible enhancement of the existing U.S. digital TV broadcasting system, to empower local TV stations' broadcast spectrum to reach mobile audiences. The mobile service platform is based on open standard specifications defined by the Open Mobile Alliance BCAST 1.0, a globally interoperable mobile TV service layer specification suite that is currently being implemented by many system and terminal manufacturers and application software developers. Using a combination of the best technologies available, the platform will enable broadcasters to deliver digital media, such as entertainment, news, sports, children's shows and public safety notifications to phones, PCs, portable media players, car entertainment systems, and other devices equipped with an A-VSB receiver chip.
A-VSB is currently being considered by the Advanced Television Systems Committee as an open standard for mobile broadcast TV. In combination with the global application standard Open Mobile Alliance BCAST, A-VSB will be ready for rapid deployment by broadcasters at low capital investment and without cost requirements to buy new spectrum.