Impressive Danish test of mobile TV of the future

The quality is high and it is ideal to use when having a break or waiting time. This is the main conclusion of the mobile TV test recently conducted by Viasat and TDC.

Over the summer, twenty people located in Copenhagen tested mobile TV with the DVB-H (Digital Video Broadcasting, Handheld) standard, which is expected to become the European standard for the distribution of mobile TV in broadcast quality. The results of the test show that mobile TV via DVB-H far exceeded the test participants’ expectations. The quality of sound and picture, in particular, are assessed to be extraordinarily good.

Furthermore, the test participants emphasise that television via mobile phone makes it possible to keep up to date on news, sports, TV series etc., and that it is a good way to kill time, especially on the bus or train. For the test participants, mobile TV primarily represents a supplemental, and thus increased, use of TV due to the mobility. The use of a stationary TV is not affected by the access to mobile entertainments.

The goal of the test was to obtain Danish user experience with DVB-H. Both Viasat and TDC have conducted similar tests in other countries, e.g. Switzerland and Sweden, and the companies achieved their primary objectives for the Danish test. Firstly, that the users found television on their mobiles via DVB-H attractive and interesting, and secondly, that DVB-H meets the technical requirements for the distribution of TV signals in broadcast quality to mobile phones.

Italy and Finland are both far ahead with DVB-H, and several of the other EU countries are well underway. Moreover, the European Commission has clearly indicated that DVB-H should be the pan-European standard. But whether it will be a requirement of the gatekeeper in the future Danish digital television network that mobile TV be offered in the DVB-H standard still remains undecided.

About the DVB-H test

• DVB-H requires that the TV signal is broadcast, meaning that many users can receive the signal at the same time in very high picture quality. TDC already offers TV on the mobile phone as streaming via the 3G network.
• The test signal was transmitted from Lynetten in Copenhagen for approximately one month (from late June to late July). The range of the signal covered an area that included: Hellerup, Emdrup, Brønshøj, Valby and Christianshavn.
• All twenty test pilots were borrowed a Nokia N92 mobile phone. This gave them free access to DVB-H TV with the following channels: DR1, TV 2, TV 2 News, TV 2 Sport, TV 3, TV 3+ and MTV.
• DR, TV 2, MTV, Nokia and Broadcast Service Danmark were also involved in the test.

Quotes from test participants about DVB-H

• “At a birthday party at home, the afternoon was saved for some of our guests because we could watch ‘The Chicken’ break away from the pack in the Tour de France.”
• “It’s great to be able to take your TV to bed with you.”
• “Really useful when you’re on a walk with the baby. You just lay the phone down on the pram.”

Further information:
Viasat: Kirstine Rasmussen, Head of Information, mobile: +45 26 37 34 82
TDC: Press Secretariat, tel. +45 70 20 35 10