Qualcomm Demonstrates MediaFLO and International ISDB-T Mobile TV Standards on Multi-mode Handset

MediaFLO Platform Complements International ISDB-T Services to Enable Optimum Mobile TV Business Model and User Experience for Japan and Brazil

SAN DIEGO — Qualcomm Incorporated (Nasdaq: QCOM), a leading developer and innovator of advanced wireless technologies and data solutions, today announced that it has successfully demonstrated the capability to support the MediaFLO™ and International Integrated Services Digital Broadcasting-Terrestrial (International ISDB-T) mobile TV standards on a multi-mode handset. Powered by Qualcomm’s Universal Broadcast Modem™ (UBM™) chipset, the technology demonstration illustrates that MediaFLO technology can complement the free-to-air ISDB-T One-Seg standard used in Japan and the ISDB-TB standard used in Brazil to enable a mix of free and paid mobile broadcast content and services to drive consumer adoption and revenue.

The MediaFLO mobile broadcast platform enables the delivery of television content as well as value-added audio, video, data and interactive services and provides a means for broadcasters and operators to augment and monetize their existing International ISDB-T services. By employing both complementary technologies in a combined service offering, broadcasters and operators can offer free-to-air content using International ISDB-T, while providing a large number of pay TV channels and enhanced services over the MediaFLO platform to generate subscription revenue. As Qualcomm supports both mobile TV technologies on a single chip, handset OEMs can achieve economies of scale in producing multi-mode, TV-enabled phones without incurring a significant increase to their bill of material costs.

“To date, the mobile broadcast deployments in Asia have been successful in driving handset adoption, but so far have not generated a strong return on investment for the mobile TV service providers,” said Neville Meijers, senior vice president and general manager of Qualcomm MediaFLO Technologies. “Demonstrating MediaFLO and International ISDB-T standards on a single, multi-mode handset illustrates a clear path for monetizing mobile TV services through a hybrid free / pay TV service offering that leverages the popularity of free TV with the revenue potential of subscription-based content and value added services.”

The UBM solution delivers an unsurpassed level of integration to support the MediaFLO system, as well as DVB-H and one-segment implementations of ISDB-T. Designed as a companion to Qualcomm’s CDMA2000® and WCDMA/UMTS Mobile Station Modem™ (MSM™) chipsets, the UBM solution eliminates the need for additional dedicated application processors for more power-efficient devices with smaller form factors.

“As mobile TV is poised to grow exponentially, products such as Qualcomm’s Universal Broadcast Modem deliver a unique advantage to device manufacturers by supporting three of the industry’s leading standards in one chip,” said Mike Concannon, senior vice president of product management for Qualcomm CDMA Technologies. “This milestone marks significant progress in bringing compelling mobile TV content to handsets around the world.”

The MediaFLO / International ISDB-T mobile TV demonstrations can be seen at the Qualcomm booth A4 at the Tela Viva Móvel conference in Sao Paulo, May 13-14 and at the Qualcomm booth C401 at the ExpoComm Japan show in Tokyo, July 22-24.