France Telecom, Bouygues In Pact For Wireless TV Test"

PARIS -(Dow Jones)- France Telecom SA (FTE) and diversified conglomerate Bouygues SA (12050.FR) said Monday they will team up to experiment with broadcasting television to mobile phones.

The two French companies, together with their wireless telecommunications and TV satellite broadcast affiliates, said they hope to gain regulatory approval to begin the test in June with a panel of 200 customers.

The selected customers will be able to watchbroadcast channels TF1 and M6 as well as a set of theme channels, France Telecom and Bouygues said in a joint statement.

The companies said they will rely on the Digital Video Broadcast Handheld standard for the test. Unlike current wireless telecommunication standards, this system, provides steady broadcast quality regardless of the number of users.

France Telecom and Bouygues own France's largest and third-largest mobile phone operators. Bouygues controls France Television 1 (5490.FR) as well as TV satellite broadcast venture TPS, in partnership with M6-Metropole Television (5322.FR).

-By David Gauthier-Villars, Dow Jones Newswires; +33 1 40 1717 40; david.gauthier-villars@dowjones.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires "

Posted to the site on 7th March 2005