Mobile television has the potential to profoundly change the way in which consumers experience television and audiovisual services. It offers the possibility of viewing any content, any time, anywhere, and also provides for a new world of interactivity.
Mobile television is at the frontier of high-value, innovative services in Europe, bringing together the fast-growing markets for mobile communications and audiovisual content. Such digital convergence is at the heart of the Commission’s i2010 strategy for the Information Society, which targets technological innovation as a means of spurring economic and employment growth.
Mobile TV allows consumers not only to watch television while on the move but also to have access to personalised, time-shifted and on-demand audiovisual content. It represents a tremendous opportunity for Europe to maintain and expand its leadership in mobile technology and mobile services. Mobile TV could potentially be a significant source of growth, investment and jobs for Europe.
Recent estimates indicate that by 2013 the mobile TV market could be worth up to €7.8 billion and reach between 200 million and 330 million customers worldwide.
In Europe, mobile TV services have gradually been rolled out in several Member States in recent years, although several challenges remain.
Among the factors identified by the Commission for the successful deployment of mobile TV are the following:
The need for a ‘light-touch’ regulatory environment conducive to the roll-out of innovative services
The need to set aside sufficient premium radio spectrum for mobile TV services
The need for a common standard to allow for economies of scale
Standards and interoperability
The Commission is promoting consensus around a common standard for mobile TV in order to reduce market fragmentation. Currently, DVB-H (Digital Video Broadcasting for Handhelds) is the strongest contender, with successful commercial launches and trials in 19 European countries, and increasingly worldwide. Its use for mobile TV services is officially being encouraged by the Commission in all 27 Member States.
DVB-H offers an opportunity for mobile TV services to develop the economies of scale they need for uptake across Europe and globally by providing certainty concerning technological decisions and avoiding the risk of market fragmentation. The result should be lower prices for consumers and faster deployment of services.
