Thomson provides end to end mobile solution to number one mobile Russian operator Sistema Mass Media

Monday, November 12th, 2007
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Solution features 16 channels on one DVBH multiplex using advanced encoding and statistical multiplexing technology

PARIS and NEVADA CITY, CA — Thomson (Euronext Paris: 18453; NYSE: TMS) will provide DVB-H broadcast technology to Sistema Mass Media (SMM), a branch of Russia’s AFK Sistema which is set to launch a mobile multimedia service.

For this service, initially available in Moscow and in 16 other Russian cities with populations over one million, Thomson has provided the technology to distribute the content by satellite from Moscow to the other regional transmitters, as well as the headend platform.

“We wanted to get our mobile television service on air quickly, and turned to Thomson as we knew they had the capability to deliver a complex, highly functional system when we needed it” said Dr. Shub, deputy general and chief technical officer of SMM. “In particular, Thomson was the only company able to provide an innovative and cost-effective satellite distribution system as well as the headend infrastructure.”

To deliver as many as 16 channels on a single multiplex, while retaining good image quality, SMM turned to Thomson to provide statistical multiplexing and time slicing technology to optimize the available bandwidth. The Thomson solution uses tight integration between the ViBE mobile television encoders and the Opal DVB-H IP encapsulator to dynamically vary the compression ratio on each channel and manage the time slicing, guaranteeing the best possible quality across the whole bouquet.

“Because we can provide such tight integration we can deliver a uniquely powerful headend solution,” said Patrick Montliaud, senior vice president of Thomson’s Integration and Network Solutions business unit. “Maintaining good quality over an offering as broad as 16 channels is a real challenge, but we are confident we will deliver thanks to the innovative use of statistical multiplexing and time slicing.”

For distribution from Moscow to the other cities where SMM has a license, Thomson has implemented a solution using available bandwidth on an existing satellite transponder.

SMM plans a commercial launch of the new mobile television service in early 2008. The service will be available to all mobile network operators.