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The planet on your palm

Coming soon: mobile TV to catch up on news, entertainment and business updates

CHANNEL SURFING ON THE MOVE Mobile phones will soon deliver TV programmes. All you will need is a phone that is DVB-H enabled

The future of TV will be in your hands. Literally. We're not talking about the remote. We're talking about the idiot box that is morphing into the size of a matchbox. Government willing, TV will soon check into that little thing that helps you connect to the world, listen to music, take pictures and video: the mobile phone.

According to Jawahar Kanjilal, Director, Experiences, Nokia Multimedia Asia Pacific, the technology for mobile TV has been tried, tested and ready for use in many markets around the world over the past few years. Mobile TV is touted to be the next big thing after direct-to-home (DTH) because with TV on your mobile, it would mean that you would finally be able to take the TV wherever you go, especially because it will be easier to handle than the newspaper. And you will be able to surf channels on the move.

DVB-H technology

Earlier this year, the world's first commercial mobile TV service using digital video broadcast-handheld (DVB-H) technology was launched in Italy. 3 Italia, the mobile network operator that launched the service in June, reportedly signed up 1,11,000 consumers in the first six weeks of operation. LG phones were used to deliver the TV content at the cost of three euros a day. In Australia, Nokia completed a one-year trial pilot with Foxtel. The results were an eye-opener. (See box.) The Indian Government apparently has expressed interest in the medium and has asked for a test run. Vietnam will be among the first few countries in the world to launch mobile TV by the end of the year. The Vietnam Multimedia Corporation will launch mobile TV services in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City by this December, with seven digital channels apart from video on demand, through DVB-H technology.

All you will need to watch TV in the near future is a mobile phone that is DVB-H enabled. The Nokia N92, a part of the company's new N series of phones launched recently, will be used in Vietnam to deliver TV programming on the move.

"For the broadcasters, mobile TV is one more platform to reach out to more viewers," said Kanjilal, talking to MetroPlus, when Nokia unveiled its N series of phones recently in Manila. "But these things take time. The regulatory mechanism needs to be sorted out. The Indian Government is quite technology savvy. They have asked for a pilot."

The mobile phone will be capable of carrying about 50 channels. Would people want to watch TV on the move? "Not all kind of programming but we believe there is a huge market out there," believes Kanjilal. Imagine it's the World Cup and you can't just stay at home all through. Or breaking news. Updates on the Sensex. Sports, news and business content are tailor-made for mobile TV. Tests in U.K. (see box) proved that subscribers preferred watching regular TV programming to made-for-mobile programming. Besides, the technology will provide for interactivity. You will be able to download video clips, ring tones, wallpapers of your favourite TV content, participate in contests and call-in shows instantly. You will also be able to record TV clips and store them on your phone.

DVB-H is a technology that can be used to broadcast digital content on phones and TV screens fitted in your car or public transport. Apparently, DVB-H supports mobility with its "efficient power management and DVD quality audio and video services without disturbance." It's not the same as 3G or GPRS. "In 3G or GPRS, each recipient gets a separate copy of the programme stream. Here, one simultaneous TV stream can be received at any time by any number of users enjoying high picture quality and low battery power consumption," explains Kanjilal.

The small screen has got smaller. It is getting ubiquitous, omnipotent and omnipresent. Once it sneaks into your pocket, there is no escaping it. Enjoy.

SUDHISH KAMATH

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