Everyone has a favourite television show or two - a show not to be missed if at all humanly possible. More and more people are not only utilising one of the popular digital video services such as TiVo, but individuals are often choosing to take their television viewing experience with them on the go. With mobile TV devices being released by many reputable companies such as Orange and BT, people are finding their favourite show(s) can now travel with them!
BT offers broadband, mobile, or television services, but now it also offers mobile TV. After years of debating and finalising, BT Mobile TV, or BT Livetime, was released in early 2006. BT Livetime is a multimedia service utilizing DAB Digital Radio and broadcast via Digital One multiplex. The live television has a monthly access fee, and that is in addition to the mobile service. If the consumer is interested in live broadcasts, only specific telephones are designed for this purpose.
While BT was just releasing BT Livetime, Orange was leading the way in the standards war for mobile TV. The 3G spectrum has previously been unused but existent; Orange decided to take that spectrum and offers approximately 50 channels of TV programming for viewing over a mobile phone or specific PDAs. Trials are being completed to find a more beneficial method of bringing programming to the consumer, and Orange is researching methods for offering more television viewing.
Later that same year, Virgin Mobile announced the launch of a new mobile TV service. This intuitively named Virgin Mobile TV offers selection of those programs most cherished by viewers. BBC One, E4, and Channel 4 are the three primary channels offered along with over 30 radio channels. Utilising both DAB digital radio and other popular channels, Virgin Mobile is proving to be a strong competitor in the mobile TV war.
Of course, the real war may not have anything to do with how much or how many each service will offer or plans on offering. The real mobile TV war is the multi-millions of dollars spent on advertising. Virgin Mobile TV has hired spokesperson Pamela Anderson to star in a series of commercials promoting Virgin Mobile TV. If this is any indicator of the future for mobile TV, the competition will prove not only expensive, but beneficial to the consumer.
The first difference the consumer will notice is the popularity of the channels available to the mobile TV user. Currently, BT offers the most channels, but this may have to do with the fact that BT was the first company outside of South Korea to actually offer mobile TV anywhere in the world. This uniqueness has given BT a competitive advantage amongst the mobile providers in not only the UK but the world.
The technology offering mobile TV is relatively new. Different radio or broadcasting waves are used to bring the various viewing channels to the public without interfering with the normal mobile channels used for normal talking or instant messaging.
The mobile TV service costs between £14.99 and £24.99 per month to subscribers. However, I can foresee some better rates soon available with package offers by BT, Orange, or Virgin. Just as these industry giants have paved the way for better Broadband, TV, and/or mobile phone use, these industry giants are offering users the ability to view television on the go. Let's hope there's an price was imminent.
Portable TV also has other applications such as adding television viewing to an car (although we I don't advocate watching LOST while negotiating the M25 car park) or any other portable location where streaming live television is desired. Conferencing for business or pleasure is made easier with the simple addition of the technology used by mobile TV. So while mobile TV is still in its infancy, the future looks bright for this young technology.
Do you need mobile TV? The answer will depend on which channels you prefer, the mobile phone type you have, and how much you are willing to pay monthly to watch your favourite TV show. BT, Orange, and Virgin all have plans on increasing the types and number of television programmes offered by their mobile TV service. While the future does look bright, as with many new technologies, mobile TV does not have the numerous number of features making it a "must have" to new users, but I am sure the future will provide new and exciting benefits to consumers using mobile TV technology regardless of the provider chosen.
Staff editor, Mobile Phones Section, April 2007 |
