Austria - Starting Signal for Completion of A1 Mobile TV Service

Friday, June 6th, 2008
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Television on the mobile phone is increasingly becoming a mass phenomenon. To continue to provide best quality television on the mobile phone to the growing number of users, Mobilkom’s A1 will in future also offer mobile TV via DVB-H technology. A cooperation agreement with MEDIA BROADCAST was signed today.

When it comes to mobile TV, A1 has played a pioneering role. The broadcast of CNN in 2004 marked the world’s first live transmission of a television program to the mobile phone. In the past years the service offered has been continually expanded – not only in the quantity of channels and video content available, but above all where quality is concerned. Particularly noteworthy is the introduction of HD MOBILE TV, delivering crisp, sharp image and sound quality with the H.264 codec, as well as the A1 TV Player, which offers a user experience nearly equal to that of conventional television. Together these measures have led to the success of the current service, with a six-figure monthly number of users.

Customers Needs Before Technology

A1 recognized early on that with sustained growth the limits of technical capacity would soon be reached and in 2006 began a pilot project to evaluate the broadcast DVB-H technology. A cooperation agreement was signed today with MEDIA BROADCAST, the holder of the DVB-H license, allowing A1 to offer its customers mobile TV via this technology as well in the future. “This gives us the certainty of being able to continue our growth in mobile TV to while at the same time completing our service selection,” comments Dr. Hannes Ametsreiter, CMO mobilkom austria and CMO Telekom Austria TA. He emphasizes that it is not the technology that is decisive, but rather the fulfillment of customer needs. Streaming technology also continues to play an important role. For example, as sponsor of UEFA EURO 2008™, A1 holds the exclusive rights for the soccer videos. With the goal alarm service, links to the videos are sent directly to A1 customers’ mobile phones.

Completing the Service Selection

“We are pleased to have mobilkom austria, the largest Austrian mobile phone operator, on board with us,” says Dr. Bertold Heil, Managing Director of MEDIA BROADCAST. “Our base is now even broader and we can live up to our promise of realizing substantial added value in Austria and creating optimal conditions for successful operation of mobile TV offerings in Austria,” said Dr. Heil. The contract represents the starting signal for a complete offering of mobile TV services from A1. A1 will present a specific product selection following the final clarification of the organizational framework and compliance with all regulatory requirements. A1 customers will soon be able purchase suitable mobile phones in the A1 SHOPs and A1 ONLINE SHOP.