Alcatel-Lucent and Vodafone demonstrate DVB-SH capabilities to regulators and government

Sapo opens laboratory at the University of Aveiro

Today, the capabilities of Mobile Broadcast Tv based on DVB-SH technology have been publicly demonstrated. The initiative was promoted by Alcatel-Lucent in partnership with Vodafone in a session that brought the two companies together with members of the Government and Anacom.

The experience was pioneering in Portugal and served to show those present the potential and quality of a technology that may soon be adopted. For now, everything was just a sample of the project which, if approved by Anacom and the other competent entities, could arrive in Portugal next year.

To show the technological capabilities of the DVB-SH, Sagem Mobiles equipment was used in the session. For the time being, there are no mobile terminals with capacities adapted to that format, although it is expected to arrive in Portugal in 2008, said AntĂłnio Carrapatoso, president of Vodafone Portugal, in statements to TeK.

The live demonstration of the technology used the S-band frequency spectrum operating at 2.17-2.20 GHz. In February this year, the European Commission gave a positive opinion on the harmonized use of this spectrum in the European Union, namely with regard to the transmission of mobile satellite services, in particular with regard to mobile television.

At the event Mário Lino, Minister of Public Works, Transport and Communications, said that it is necessary to «bring value bets to make Portugal a technological leader» taking into account «future economic production». The minister took advantage of his intervention to «greet the two companies that allow us to be at the forefront» with the presentation of this technology.

Throughout the session, several invited personalities mentioned the importance of this project and the public recognition that the first demonstration in Portugal of Mobile Broadcast TV in the DVB-SH standard constitutes with regard to encouraging mobile communications, and in particular mobile TV, under the Portuguese Presidency of the EU Council.

António Carriço, Director of Innovation and Global Products at Vodafone Portugal, indicated that the first demonstration in Portugal of the hybrid Mobile TV solution in partnership with Alcatel-Lucent, not only demonstrates the company’s «commitment» to «providing the best mobile services «to customers, as the capabilities of» one of the possible European mobile TV implementations » standard DVB-SH.

AntĂłnio Beato Teixeira, President and Chief Executive Officer of Alcatel-Lucent in Portugal, says that by making this mobile TV broadcast possible, the need to innovate and accelerate the development of new and attractive services for consumers, such as Mobile TV, is highlighted.

On the sidelines of the event it was explained to TeK that the prototype shown today includes eight television channels. Of these, five are from Euronews and each is broadcast in a language (Portuguese, French, German, Spanish and English). The remaining channels are RTP, SIC and TVI. Of the three Portuguese only RTP does not broadcast live.

Carlos Vargas, director of RTP Mobile, told TeK that this is an option of the television station that chose to bet on content designed exclusively for the mobile platform. The official indicated that «the investment made in this platform was proportional to the value that the market represents» taking into account that this bet is «changing the landscape of mobile use» since current technologies «are based on 3G technologies […] and the DVB-SH offer represents a leap towards higher quality «.

Also speaking to TeK, António Carrapatoso indicated that today’s initiative is a test «to a new technology that will help the development of television in Portugal». The official indicated that «Vodafone has tens of thousands of mobile TV users» and believes that mobile TV supported by DVB-SH will be «well accepted» in our market, despite initially the costs associated with the service and the terminals that support it may be slightly higher than those currently practiced in the sector. As for the overall investment in the project, Carrapatoso said that it may «exceed spending on digital terrestrial television».

Earlier this month, Anacom announced that it had given Alcatel-Lucent authorization to carry out technical tests for the purpose of demonstrating DVB-SH technology, such as what happened today, in the 2175-2190 MHz frequency sub-band. given by the regulator remains valid until March 15, 2008.

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