News
Updated: EC backs DVB-H, again
Tim Green Mar 17 2008, 6:36pm
The European Commission has formally endorsed the DVB-H broadcast mobile TV standard.
It added DVB-H to the ‘EU List of Standards’, which serves as a basis for encouraging the harmonised provision of telecommunications across the EU. Few were surprised as the EC suggested it would approve the standard last July.
This prompted a storm of disapproval from MediaFLO and the like – and this new pronouncement will no doubt do the same.
The EC’s contention is that EU-wide adoption of Nokia-backed DVB-H will provide operators and broadcasters with the necessary scale to launch mass services across the region. A European common standard will also benefit consumers, who will be able to watch TV on their own phones or mobile devices at any time, anywhere across Europe.
Whether the trade agrees remains to be seen, as Sky is in trials with MediaFLO, and T-Mobile and Orange are set to have a look at TDtv. DVB-H is the only standard with a global presence although South Korea prefers DMB, Japan supports ISDB-T and the US has launched MediaFLO.
Chris Williams, Telecoms Partner at Deloitte, commented: "Whilst there are some advantages to technology standardisation in terms of economies of scale and ensuring interoperability, it would be preferable to let standards gain their own momentum competitively in the market rather than mandating them. As such, the GSMA appears correct in suggesting that it is inappropriate and unnecessary for legislators to pick technology winners.
He added: "Circumstances will define best (and indeed possible) technology choices in each country. We would also question whether Ofcom will be well disposed to follow this lead given that they have moved away from licensing technologies years ago and are auctioning several bands of spectrum suited to a variety of mobile TV technologies.
"A challenge for consumers without an agreed standard would be understanding the competing offers of service providers and interoperability between standards."
