Video on Demand over a GSM/GPRS Network

ROK Entertainment has announced the provision of the worlds first video-on-demand (VOD) mobile TV service streamed over a GPRS network.

The up-graded VOD mobile TV service is available now on ROK TV.

"This is a massive technological breakthrough with regards to mobile TV, going forward" said Jonathan Kendrick, Chairman and CEO, ROK Entertainment Group "as we are now able to offer true on-demand mobile TV over mass-market 2.5G via GPRS to the ever-growing number of people with a GPRS data package included in their mobile tariff".

With Mobile TV set to become a multi-billion dollar industry worldwide over the next 5 years, there are two distinct technologies set to compete for the market: full-form broadcast TV delivered via DVB-H, MediaFLO or DAB and the delivery of unicast mobile TV streamed to mobiles over existing networks.

"As mobile TV is usually watched for just a few minutes at a time, the content available must not only be instantly engaging to the viewer but should also allow the viewer to choose what they want to watch when they want to watch it" added Kendrick "and that's exactly what we've now achieved with ROK TV"

ROK TV is currently being deployed to 30 selected Mobile Network Operators worldwide with the most recent service launches being with AIS in Thailand and with Telenor in Pakistan.

"Given that viewers only have the oppotunity to watch TV on their mobiles for a few minutes at a time, we believe most people will be reluctant to pay anything more than a token amount to receive full-length broadcast TV on their mobiles" Kendrick went on to say "and that's why we have not only made mobile TV available over mass-market 2.5G GPRS, rather than just over 3G networks, but have also enhanced the viewing experience by making the non-live channels truly VOD"."

Posted to the site on 10th May 2007