Vivendi Requests Speeding the Clarification of TV on Mobiles

Vivendi Universal is starting to make waves and put pressure on regulators, trying to speed the process of establishing the rules that will govern the market of TV on mobile phones and the frequencies used for the new service.

Vivendi Universal Chief Executive Jean-Bernard Levy said that the regulators should move quicker to clarify what the regulatory framework will be and also pointed out that France is losing ground compared to other countries which have already set off in the TV on Mobile journey.

Vivendi, which controls the second largest mobile operator in France, SFR, is running trials of mobile TV broadcasting in partnership with pay-TV unit Canal Plus and Finnish handset maker Nokia until June. If everything goes according to plan, SFR should launch a commercial TV on Mobile service in 2007, but it needs to know which broadcasting frequencies it will be able to use to meet such a timetable.

Everything is still surrounded by mystery in France regarding this new technology; it is not clear if the new TV on mobile market will be regulated by France's media watchdog, the Conseil Superieur de l'Audiovisuel, or by the Autorit� de R�gulation des Communications Electroniques et des Postes telecoms regulator.