EC Adds DVB-H to List of Official Standards
March 18, 2008 // Published as a news service by IHS
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On March 17, the European Commission (EC) endorsed the addition of the Digital Video Broadcasting Handheld (DVB-H) standard to the European Union (EU) List of Standards, which serves as a basis for encouraging the harmonised provision of telecommunications across the EU.
The addition of DVB-H is another step towards establishing a single market for mobile TV in Europe that will enable all EU citizens to watch TV on the move. Mobile TV could become a €20 billion market by 2011, reaching some 500 million customers worldwide.
An EU-wide adoption of DVB-H will provide operators and industry with the necessary market scale to launch mass mobile TV services across the EU. 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.
"For mobile TV to take off in Europe, there must first be certainty about the technology. This is why I am glad that with today's decision, taken by the commission in close coordination with the member states and the European Parliament, the EU endorse DVB-H as the preferred technology for terrestrial mobile broadcasting," said Viviane Reding, EU commissioner for information society and media.
"The next steps for implementing the EU strategy on mobile broadcasting will include guidance on the authorisation regimes as well as the promotion of rights management systems based, as is DVB-H, on open standards," Reding added.
After publication of the EC's decision in the EU's Official Journal, member states will be required to encourage the use of DVB-H. This clear support to the DVB family of standards is also an important signal given to third countries about to take a decision on the technology for digital and mobile broadcasting, using DVB-T, DVB-H and DVB-SH.
A transparent intellectual property rights regime - one based on fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory terms and allowing for low-priced devices - is key to the success of mobile TV. Therefore, the EC said it will continue to closely monitor progress made towards the constitution of the DVB-H patent pool.
Efficient procedures for authorising mobile TV operators are essential for the fast take-up of the service. In February 2008, the EC discussed best practice for mobile TV authorisation with industry and member states, asking for contributions on the issue from all stakeholders.
Guidelines on best practices are currently being prepared to help member states deploy mobile TV without delay. Light-touch regulation and clear licensing regimes will give industry the legal certainty they need to launch their mobile TV services without undue impediments.
Background
In July 2007, the EC proposed a strategy for promoting mobile TV across Europe. It included the use of the open standard DVB-H - which was developed by European industry, partly with the support of EU research funds - as the common standard for terrestrial mobile TV across Europe. The Council of Telecoms Ministers endorsed the EC's strategy on mobile TV in November 2007.
DVB-H is currently the most widely used standard for mobile TV in the EU. DVB-H is currently between trials and commercial launch in 16 countries. Commercial DVB-H services are already available in Italy, with further launches expected later this year, notably in Finland, Austria, France, Switzerland and Spain.
The EC considers 2008 to be a crucial year for mobile TV take-up in the EU due to important sports events, such as the European Football Championship and the Summer Olympic Games, which will provide a unique opportunity for raising consumers' awareness and for the adoption of new services.
More information
For more information, see IP/07/1118, MEMO/07/298, SPEECH/08/144, IP/07/1815 and Article 17 of EU Directive 2002/21/EC.
Source: European Commission.