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DVB-H race 'hotting up`

By Dave Glazier, ITWeb journalist
Johannesburg, 29 Mar 2006

Sentech and Vodacom have both recently announced they will join Multichoice in the race to bring Digital Video Broadcasting via Handheld (DVB-H) to South African cellphones.

"Sentech is exploring possibilities to provide broadcast TV services on a DVB-H platform to cellphones, by utilising its new DTT transmission network," says Sentech portfolio manager for wireless broadband, Winston Smith.

Partnership?

Smith says Sentech would regard Vodacom as a suitable distribution partner for DVB-H: "Certainly Vodacom is a big player and we`d want to work with them."

Though Vodacom has a 'no comment` policy on its DVB-H plans, news recently broke that it aims to offer TV content via the platform. It currently offers a variety of mobile TV channels via its 3G network.

Multichoice welcomes competition

Multichoice and M-Net have already established a new division (M-Mobile) especially for DVB-H, and last month began DVB-H trials to deliver selected DSTV programmes to cellphones.

Responding to recent media reports claiming Multichoice had urged ICASA to not grant a DVB-H license to Vodacom, the company`s CEO Nolo Letele tells ITWeb: "MultiChoice denies that it has made submissions to ICASA that discourage the issuing of a DVB-H license to any party".

Content will be key factor

Craig Terblanche, MarketWorks` business and technology advisor, believes the quality and variety of content provided on the DVB-H platform will be the determining factor in whether the technology will be welcomed in SA.

"Securing content provision rights will be a key factor in whether [DVB-H] business models are successful," he says. "I don`t think the protocol itself is what will make the opportunity viable".

Terblanche sees applications for DVB-H particularly in the areas of sports and gambling (such as horse racing), and adds that aside from Multichoice, Sentech and Vodacom, he would imagine MTN would look at offering DVB-H.

Related stories:
Multichoice goes mobile
Sentech 'ready to take on Telkom`

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