Singapore Operators to Test Mobile TV Service

The three Singapore mobile network operators, M1, SingTel and StarHub, together with the national broadcaster MediaCorp, are to jointly conduct a consumer mobile TV trial using Digital Video Broadcasting - Handheld (DVB-H) technology next month.

Some 300 customers of the three telcos are expected to participate in this trial spanning over three months. Trialists will be able to view six dedicated channels during the trial and enjoy a variety of television programmes.

"We are very pleased to be able to be involved in this project that heralds another step forward in entertainment on the go," said Quek Peck Leng, Executive Vice President, Consumer Group, SingTel. "Our mio TV on Mobile service enables customers to conveniently access mio TV content wherever they are, and DVB-H will allow even more features. We are also very pleased that our content partner Mei Ah has been selected as one of the channels that will be used during the trial."

"MediaCorp pioneered DVB-H consumer trials in Singapore some 4 years ago. From our past experience, the availability of handsets is paramount to the service taking off. I am happy that our efforts to have all 3 Singapore telcos onboard the trial will offer better quality and wider choice of services to our customers and, at the same time, allow us to explore viable business models," said Lucas Chow, CEO of MediaCorp.

Participants of the trial will be using the Samsung P-960 handsets and the trial is also supported by technology partners, Alcatel-Lucent and Gemalto.

Posted to the site on 25th July 2008