TVI Portugal and Vodafone Portugal have completed successful trials of digital television broadcasts to mobile phones using Thomson’s SmartVision interactive service platforms and Mobile TV head-end products, Argos mobile TV encoders and Opal DVB-H IP encapsulators. The trial consisted of eight live channels broadcast by DVB-H to panel of users with mobile phones from Samsung, writes Sharon Lock.
“As the operator, our dual goals were to obtain a first level of feedback from our customers on user experience and to test the technology itself,” said Ant_nio Carri_o, director of global products and Innovations for Vodafone Portugal. “Mobile TV has been a key service for Vodafone Portugal since its launch in 2004 and DVB-H technology is one of the next milestones in the path of our customer’s satisfaction. We are very satisfied with this pilot test phase.”
“We chose to test Thomson’s DVB-H broadcast head-end equipment and SmartVision services platform with ESG (Electronic Service Guide) management for their proven track records and fast implementation,” said Jos_ Nabais, CTO of TVI Portugal.
“The Portuguese market represents a particularly interesting opportunity for launching new mobile services as the population are strong users of mobile phones,” added Jacques Dunogu_, Thomson senior executive vice president in charge of the Systems Division. “More than 60 % of all voice calls made in Portugal are made using mobile phones whilst the European average is only 43%. Thomson is well placed in this promising market, and our participation to most mobile TV trials gives us a unique experience.”
