In a relatively short period of time the mobile phone has evolved from being just a phone to offering functions from personalised ringtones to music downloads. Now, mobile TV is just about set to hit South Africa, with both Vodacom and MTN running tests. South Africa is expected to join Nigeria in the roll-out of the DVB-H mobile TV.

Nigeria has beaten South Africa in race for commercial mobile television the DVB-H mobile TV, since MultiChoice Africa’s local business partner in Nigeria has launched Africa’s first commercial mobile broadcast TV service in the city of Abuja.

The launch places Nigeria at the forefront of the development in world digital television technology, and highlights the progressive stance that the country’s National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) is taking in the adoption of new modes of technologies.

For us in South Africa, ICASA’s slow progress on mobile television regulations means that MultiChoice may not be able to honour its pledge to FIFA that the 2010 event will be available on mobile phones.

In February this year ICASA unexpectedly withdrew an invitation to apply for mobile TV licences, saying that it wants to finalise the digital migration policy and frequency band plans first.  In July ICASA released a findings document regarding the finalisation of the Digital Terrestrial TV (DTT) Regulations, something which should assist the progress of mobile TV licensing.

Easily accessible

DVB-H (Digital Video Broadcast – Handheld) is a mobile broadcast technology that allows for the digital terrestrial broadcast of live television channels to a mobile phone. While 3G is a one-to-one transmission, which makes it subject to bandwidth and frequency limitations, DVB-H is one-to-many true broadcast and does not suffer such limitations. The advantage of offering both technologies on one handset is that 3G can accommodate a ‘return path’, allowing a user to request content on demand, and download it for use almost immediately or at a later stage.

Mobile TV signals will be handled by special chips on a mobile phone that sit alongside the chips that process the mobile phone’s calls, music and streaming video clips. The difference between TV and streaming video services is that the TV signals are broadcast to all users at the same time, while streaming video is delivered on demand by mobile operators. Mobile TV images are expected to be of higher quality than mobile video streams.

MultiChoice launched its DVB-H mobile TV trials three years ago, offering users with a DVB-H handset and enabled SIM access to four sports channels, CNN International, Cartoon Network and urban television channel Trace.

The purpose of the trial is to refine the technical transmission of DVB-H. The trial started in November 2005 and is building unique South African mobile broadcast expertise. So hopefully soon most of us will be able to access whatever programming we want, whenever we want.

Two years ago MTN introduced the Samsung P910 handset, South Africa’s first commercially available 3G DVB-H capable cellphone. The Samsung P910 may allow access to MTN’s DStv-Mobile DVB-H trial which makes the DVB-H trial only applicable to users with a Samsung P910 and upgraded Samsung cellphone when used in conjunction with an MTN DVB-H capable USIM, within the Multichoice and M-Net DVB-H Trial Network coverage areas – restricted to selected suburbs in Cape Town, Johannesburg, Soweto, and Pretoria.

2010 frenzy

In 2006, MultiChoice extended its services to mobile devices using DVB-H digital terrestrial broadcasting on a trial basis in preparation for the 2010 World Cup Soccer Tournament, increasing the number of subscribers to 4000.

Site acceptance tests were completed on schedule at the end of May 2006. A successful live capability demonstration ran throughout the 2006 World Cup. The trial has since grown to 4000 trialists in 4 cities around the country. Trial results have been positive, with audience appreciation still on the rise.

It seems that MultiChoice is ready to give South Africa a new and different way of watching TV. The only thing that is standing in the way is ICASA. What’s left is to see whether they make it to the 2010 World Cup. If Nigeria can do it, there should be nothing standing in their way, especially since they seem to be operationally and technically ready to launch a full commercial DVB-H service.

Check out The Next Generation TV Show, where Cath speaks about mobile television in the digital age. On Diginomics Joy also talks about the economics of going mobile.

Related links:

Mobile TV inches forward
Project 2010
DStv Mobile
Movie Magic Comes to the Smallest Screen

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