Asia-Pacific Broadcasting
1st Feb 2008
SINGAPORE – Terrestrial broadcaster MediaCorp and telecom company M1 are working together on a consumer trial of a mobile-TV service in Singapore, based on digital video broadcasting- handheld (DVB-H) technology. On why DVB-H was chosen, Lucas Chow, MediaCorp’s CEO, said: “It offers untapped opportunities for new broadcast services and interactive programme content”.
He added: “It’s a fresh frontier in MediaCorp’s continuing efforts to extend our broadcast services and locally produced content to digital platforms.”
Chow added that working with a partner like M1 will combine the two companies’ respective strengths to create a mobile-TV service that fits in with what local viewers want while on the move.
However, the trial service, which is scheduled for a mid-year launch, is still awaiting regulatory approval from Singapore’s Media Development Authority (MDA), and the Infocomm Development Authority (IDA).
Ling Pek Ling, MDA director on Media Policy, told APB that the MDA issues trial licences to enable industry players to test technical and commercial parameters. “We will assess the merits of MediaCorp’s and M1’s application, taking into consideration factors such as the objectives and scope of their trials.”
Last month, the MDA concluded a public-consultation exercise on its proposed policy and regulatory framework for mobile-TV services.
“We will consider all comments carefully and finalise the policy framework for mobile TV,” said Ling. “This includes a policy position on how to award commercial
licences.”
She added that the MDA also proposed a comparative tender to award mobile-TV multiplex licences.
“In assessing the bids for the licences, we will evaluate the proposals based on their merits,” she explained.
Aside from the regulatory aspect, MediaCorp and M1 have other challenges to overcome, like the setting up of a mobile-TV broadcast infrastructure, and choosing of devices that will be needed for the trial.
Chua Swee Kiat, general manager for M1’s corporate com¬munications department, told APB that the trial would require transmission networks and back-end systems. Thus, M1 and MediaCorp have recently invited technology vendors to submit proposals for mobile-TV infrastructure and devices, including a trial service.
“The plan is to do the trial by the middle of this year. So, the infrastructure would have to be ready by then,” said Chua, who added that video content for the trial would be provided by MediaCorp and other content providers.
M1 said the partnership is the latest in the series of collaborative efforts between M1 and MediaCorp to offer innovative video and TV content customised for the mobile phone.
In the past, M1 had worked with MediaCorp Studios to offer M1 customers one of Asia’s first 3G mobile drama series (under M1’s Mobi Drama offering) as well as celebrity and entertainment programmes.
“Mobile TV is an exciting new media that breaks the traditional boundary of broadcast TV entertainment by making it conveniently accessible to anyone with a mobile phone,” said Neil Montefiore, CEO of M1.
“With the DVB-H promise of good audio-visual quality and interesting content from MediaCorp, the premier broadcaster in Singapore and the region, as well as other leading broadcasters, we will deliver a compelling mobile-TV experience for our customers.
It is this combination of the right technology and content providers that will create a viable mobile-TV service.”
http://www.apb-news.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=182&Itemid=45
