Mobile TV: the next best NGN trend

As India still waits expectantly for 3G, cellular service providers are going several steps ahead in offering NGN applications. Real-time options such as video and music streaming, and movies and gaming on mobile are all in the pipeline.

However, the most interesting one of them all may well be mobile TV, be it through a 3G platform or broadcasting; and the entire telecom industry — be it a SP, vendor or software solutions provider are unanimous in their interest to develop this emerging trend in India.

While there are basically two main ways of delivering television content to mobile devices, that is via mobile telecommunications networks through 3G technologies or by using broadcasting platform such as Qualcomm's Media-Flo and Nokia's DVBH technologies, currently Doordarshan is the only channel to have commercially launched the service on the DVBH platform. However, broadcasting platform has an advantage when it comes to mobile TV services because the spectrum is dedicated only for transmitting TV channels — a good alternative to 3G which has to be shared among voice, data and other applications.

Thus, perceiving a huge market — catering to segments from youth to professionals to the elderly, all who can watch what they want, when they want, real-time mobile TV viewing - already big in the international market, is set to be the next big technology trend in India. And keeping it affordable is key to adding subscriber numbers.

Putting it into practice

While Idea Cellular recently announced that it planned to launch live IPL matches on mobile, where the subscriber could watch the game from 36 different camera angles, MTNL, BSNL and Reliance, have also recently launched these services.

Cricket, news and entertainment — the three major segments that are viewed by Indians today, are indeed the segments to capitalise on. The subscriber base is continuously growing, seeing an upsurge of almost 300 per cent during special events.

While there is already a burgeoning demand from the urban market, once 3G is rolled out fully the mobile TV market in India will touch $200 mn, as 2G is fully operational, and rural subscribers will soon be added to the list.

Apalya, a solutions provider that offers TV on the go with their brand 'Mimobi TV' plans to showcase the coming IPL season, while Mobile ESPN is already a regular feature for its premium content users, offering them an interactive experience.

Designed to deliver mobile TV performance across 2.5 and 3G handsets, Apalya has also tied up with all the leading TV channels like Zoom TV, NDTV networks, Zee Networks, Color, Times Now and Aaj Tak, as well as with leading telecom providers like Idea Cellular, Airtel, Aircel, Vodafone and Tata. Apalya also provided its users with full coverage of the state elections recently.

With the government having recently announced its decision to hold a bidding process for issuing licenses for mobile TV services, operators have the advantage of deciding on the technology to be deployed for offering the service, and will also be permitted to have FDI of up to 74 per cent. Licenses for these services are to be given state-wise and each player will get 8 Mhz spectrum in 585 Mhz and 806 Mhz frequency bands.

Subscribers looking for international content in terms of news and entertainment channels like ABC, Fox, MTV, NBC, TLC, CBS, CNBC and CNN will also be catered to as FLO TV and Mophie are expected to launch live TV viewing on iPhones and iPod Touch in the first half of this year. Mophie also provides a 'juice pack' along with this service, which helps consume less power, therefore serving as an energy-saving offering as well.

Beryl M

berylm@cybermedia.co.in