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Industry Leaders Collaborate to Introduce New Mobile Broadcast TV Technology Platform
[January 07, 2008]

Industry Leaders Collaborate to Introduce New Mobile Broadcast TV Technology Platform


LAS VEGAS --(Business Wire)-- Samsung Electronics, MobiTV, Nokia Siemens Networks, Rohde & Schwarz and SES AMERICOM's IP-PRIME(R) today announced they will demonstrate a national distribution platform to enable mobile TV services in the United States utilizing local broadcast TV spectrum. The platform is planned to be used to showcase a complete mobile TV technology solution in 2008, with consumer trials planned in U.S. cities to be announced later. The platform will deliver local and national programming and interactive applications to consumers on mobile devices "in-band," i.e., through local TV stations' existing transmitters and spectrum.



The joint activity announced today will help U.S. broadcasters who are now selecting an open standard for in-band mobile broadcast TV and will pave the way for commercial launch of mobile broadcast TV services in 2009. It will enable local TV broadcasters to fully realize the value of their spectrum, bringing significant new business opportunities to the broadcasting, advertising, wireless, digital media, interactive services, and consumer electronics industries.

The platform will use Advanced Vestigial Sideband (A-VSB), a backward-compatible enhancement of the existing U.S. digital TV broadcasting system, to empower local TV stations' broadcast spectrum to reach mobile audiences. The mobile service platform is based on open standard specifications defined by the Open Mobile Alliance (OMA) BCAST 1.0. (Editor's note: "BCAST" is not an abbreviation.) OMA BCAST is a globally interoperable mobile TV service layer specification suite that is currently being implemented by many system and terminal manufacturers and application software developers. Using the combination of the best-in-class technologies A-VSB and OMA BCAST, the platform will enable broadcasters to deliver digital media, such as entertainment, news, sports, children's shows, and public safety notifications, to phones, PCs, portable media players, car entertainment systems--anything equipped with an A-VSB receiver chip.


A-VSB is currently being considered by the Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) as an open standard for mobile broadcast TV. A-VSB is the leading mobile broadcast technology under review by the ATSC--the first proposed, the first publicly demonstrated, and the first to be implemented in integrated receiver chips. In combination with the global application standard OMA BCAST, which maximizes interoperability and economies of scale for applications and services, A-VSB will be ready for rapid deployment by broadcasters at low capital investment and no cost to buy new spectrum. See the attached fact sheet for technical information about A-VSB.

Samsung: "As the inventor of A-VSB, Samsung is proud to have shown the way forward to empower U.S. local TV stations for mobile broadcasting," said John Godfrey, Vice President of Government and Public Affairs, Samsung Electronics. "Since proposing A-VSB to the ATSC in 2005, we have never wavered in our commitment to set an open standard for the benefit of broadcasters, manufacturers, and consumers. The all-star team announced today will enable mobile broadcast TV to reach American consumers sooner and at less cost than anyone dreamed possible only a short time ago."

MobiTV: "We see A-VSB as complementary, not competitive, to wireless services," said Alan Moskowitz, director of strategic alliances for MobiTV, Inc. "By relying on existing TV spectrum to deliver bandwidth-intensive video to mobile devices, wireless service providers have a new option for providing TV to their subscribers. In addition, MobiTV's interactive application and VOD delivery platform will enable a new class of services combining broadcast TV and mobile data networks."

Nokia Siemens Networks: "The success of any new technology depends on the level of interoperability between suppliers and the ease-of-use for consumers. Using open standards is a catalyst for rapid adoption of new technologies," said Harald Braun, Head of Convergence Business Team, Nokia Siemens Networks. "Nokia Siemens Networks will deliver an open standards- and OMA BCAST-compliant service platform for mobile broadcast TV as part of the cooperative demonstration to enable a high quality end-user experience."

Rohde & Schwarz: "Rohde & Schwarz will provide broadcasters with the required exciters, transmitters and test solutions to easily convert their existing ATSC transmission infrastructure to enable A-VSB services," said Eddy Vanderkerken, Director of Broadcast Sales, Rohde & Schwarz America. "Our technology includes a proven Single Frequency Network tool that allows broadcasters to use multiple synchronized transmitters to provide enhanced service coverage. Broadcasters, manufacturers and developers can continue to rely on Rohde & Schwarz for test and measurement solutions to support their activities in A-VSB just as they have relied on us to support them with solutions for the ATSC and other worldwide standards."

SES AMERICOM: "SES AMERICOM is pleased to be collaborating with this impressive group of best-in-class technology partners; SES will contribute by aggregating the national content, integrating the encoding, security and service guide data into the national services, and providing the satellite delivery backbone to participating broadcast stations," said Bryan McGuirk, President of North American Satellite Services for SES AMERICOM. He continued, "By integrating our partners' standards-based technologies and software, we expect to demonstrate a robust, end-to-end mobile broadcast TV solution that will accelerate its commercial launch in 2009."

About Samsung Electronics

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is a global leader in semiconductor, telecommunication, digital media and digital convergence technologies with 2006 consolidated sales of US$86.8 billion and net income of US$8.5 billion. Employing approximately 150,000 people in 134 offices in 62 countries, the company consists of five main business units: Digital Media Business, LCD Business, Semiconductor Business, Telecommunication Network Business and Digital Appliance Business. Recognized as one of the fastest growing global brands, Samsung Electronics is a leading producer of digital TVs, memory chips, mobile phones and TFT-LCDs. For more information, please visit www.samsung.com.

About MobiTV

As the leader in mobile and broadband entertainment services, MobiTV is driving the convergence of mobile, content and technology; delivering live television, premium and primetime programming, video-on-demand, satellite and digital music services from the top broadcast and cable television networks and major music labels to millions of global users. Founded in 1999, MobiTV is a privately held company with headquarters in Emeryville, CA. (www.mobitv.com).

About Nokia Siemens Networks

Nokia Siemens Networks is a leading global enabler of communications services. The company provides a complete, well-balanced product portfolio of mobile and fixed network infrastructure solutions and addresses the growing demand for services with 20,000 service professionals worldwide. Nokia Siemens Networks is one of the largest telecommunications infrastructure companies with operations in 150 countries. The company is headquartered in Espoo, Finland. http://www.nokiasiemensnetworks.com.

About Rohde & Schwarz

Rohde & Schwarz is an independent group of companies specializing in electronics. It is a leading supplier of solutions in the fields of test and measurement, broadcasting, radiomonitoring and radiolocation as well as secure communications. Established more than 70 years ago, Rohde & Schwarz has a global presence and a dedicated service network in over 70 countries. It has approximately 7200 employees and achieved a net revenue of $1.9 billion in fiscal year 2006/2007 (July 2006 to June 2007). Company headquarters are in Munich, Germany.

About SES AMERICOM

(www.ses-americom.com) An SES company (Euronext Paris and Luxembourg Stock Exchange: SESG), SES AMERICOM is North America's leading satellite company, delivering video, voice and data ubiquitously across the continent, including locations impossible to reach with wired connections. Building on its thirty year heritage in broadcast television, the company's IP-PRIME(R) solution is the fastest and most cost effective way for operators to bring IPTV service to market. This true turnkey solution comes with transport agreements for almost 300 television channels, including more than two dozen HD channels, and more than 100 digital music channels, letting IP-PRIME operators offer a broad range of diverse programming to their subscribers.

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