Fast Forward - Mobile TV

BBC to launch iPhone apps

Thu, 18 Feb 2010 11:18:00 --0100

As part of a move into mobile phone content, the BBC has announced plans to launch its first iPhone applications. A BBC News app will be available to download for free from April, followed by a BBC Sport app in May. Versions will also be launched for Blackberrys and Google Android-powered smartphones. Erik Huggers, the corporation's director of future media and technology, said the BBC is also considering releasing an iPlayer app.

US shuts down analogue broadcasts

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 14:07:00 --0100

US television stations shut down analogue broadcasts last week in a nationwide switch to digital. The transition has been planned for years, and was even delayed from its original date in February, but as many as 3 million households ended up with blank screens. Around 85% of Americans have cable or satellite, and will not be affected. As the analogue transmitters turned off, mobile TV broadcaster FLO TV was able to switch on nationwide. The service - which offers channels of live news, sport and regular and specialist programming for an extra US$10 to US$15 a month - predicts it will now have access to 100 major markets and more than 200 million potential customers by the end of the year. Rival MobiTV currently has 7 million subscribers. Existing broadcasters plan to equip their transmitters to offer free-to-air channels on mobile phones, with tests planned for this summer.

Mobile TV in retreat in UK

Fri, 17 Apr 2009 15:44:00 --0100

Figures just released by research group Screen Digest show that uptake of mobile TV has started to fall away; in 2008, the adoption rate among 3G subscribers fell to 2.75%, down from 4% in 2007. Mobile TV accounted for just 1.3% of all mobile revenue.

Live BBC via mobile

Tue, 07 Apr 2009 11:35:00 --0100

The BBC is testing a service whereby it transmits its programmes on compatible mobile phones at the same time as they are broadcast on traditional TV. To try it out, visit bbc.co.uk/mobile/live/tv using your mobile phone's browser.

Mobile video on the march

Mon, 09 Feb 2009 12:45:00 --0100

"My sense is that we are at a critical moment where the audience is finally ready to have video and radio content on the mobile." So says Richard Titus, the BBC's controller of mobile and future media. The BBC iPlayer launched its first mobile phone version last September, and around 3% of iPlayer usage now happens via mobile devices. Other important advances for mobile video included the recent launch of Nokia's N96 handset, which included technology enabling users to watch programmes over 3G networks. Currently, the iPlayer is available for users of a number of high-end mobile phones, and the BBC says more devices and networks will be catered for over the coming months. BSkyB has offered mobile video since 2005, putting out live feeds of its news and sports news channels to around 200,000 subscribers.

EU opts for DVB-H

Tue, 18 Mar 2008 11:24:00 --0100

The EU has chosen the DVB-H mobile TV standard over the alternatives. EU governments will now be expected to promote it as operators begin to offer broadcasts to mobiles. As yet, mobile TV is in its infancy in Europe, with Italy being the only market in which it is established. Launches are planned soon in Finland, Austria, France, Switzerland and Spain, and 2008 is expected to be a crucial year for the technology, as interest grows thanks to the Olympics and Euro 2008.

Mobile TV launches in Nigeria

Thu, 30 Aug 2007 11:18:00 --0100

The African pay-TV company DStv has launched a mobile TV network in Nigeria, in partnership with the local pay-TV company Details Nigeria. The network will allow DStv to broadcast 12 of its channels to subscribers' mobile phones. This service, which will be rolled out commercially in December, is the first mobile TV service in Africa.