Mobile providers in move to boost DVB-H handset supply

Fifteen service providers and operators in mobile broadcast organisation the BMCO Forum have launched a joint initivative to unify their handset demands to speed up the market introduction of DVB-H-enabled handsets ahead of the World Cup next year.

Service providers and operators 3, Orange and Media Broadcast (Austria), Media Broadcast (Germany), Antenna Hungaria (Hungary), Dominanta and Kentavr (Russia), DStv Mobile (Nigeria, Ghana, Namibia and Kenya), Safaricom (Kenya), Digita (Finland), Info-TV-FM (Poland), KPN (the Netherlands), Mediaquest and Smart (the Philippines) have signed a letter that requests the update of mobile phone roadmaps and an offer to discuss the development of common handset requirements based on the BMCO Forum profiles. All the signatories already operate or plan to operate DVB-H services or networks in the near term. However, little progress has been made in bringing compatible handsets to the market so far.