Norway picks DMB for mobile TV

The three biggest broadcasters in Norway, NRK, TV 2 and MTG, have set up their own company in order to launch mobile TV via DMB this winter.

The initial offering will consist of nine live TV channels, on demand content and other related services.

Gunnar Garfors, Director of Developments at NRK, says: “This marks the start of real mobile TV. This is not about ‘mobile phone TV’ it is about mobile TV that can be received by other devices too. Our goal is to make mobile TV widely available, easy to use and free of charge.

Garfors sees it as important that content owners run the business of mobile TV, although in close cooperation with a number of other businesses. The new company, Norsk mobil-TV AS (“NMTV” / Mobile TV of Norway Ltd.), is currently working with terminal manufacturers, technical companies and telecom operators to prepare the launch.

NMTV will start its broadcasts in greater Oslo, an area covering 30% of the Norwegian population. DMB (Digital Multimedia Broadcasting) is seen as the best technology in Norway due to cost efficient coverage of large and rural areas. DMB receivers are also compatible with DAB (digital radio) that currently covers 80% of the population in Norway.

Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation (NRK) is license funded whereas Modern Times Group (MTG) and The TV 2 Group are commercial broadcasters.