EU unterstützt einheitlichen Standard für mobiles Fernsehen[en] 

The reform of spectrum management proposed by the Commission last November has the potential to allow faster and higher-quality services via mobile phones (see our Links Dossier on Telecoms sector review).

But the Commission fears the existence of different standards for mobile TV across the bloc could hinder the development of such services.

Last July, Information Society Commissioner Viviane Reding revealed her preference for DVB-H as a standard for digital mobile television rather than other existing technologies such as DMB or Qualcomm. 

DVB-H is promoted, among others, by Nokia. Its competitor DMB is sponsored by Siemens, Microsoft and Sony, while Qualcomm is widely used in the United States.

So far in the EU, DVB-H has only been used for commercial services in Italy by the new generation telecom mobile operator 3 Italia. The Commission expects future commercial launches in other 16 EU countries.

EU Information Society Commissioner Viviane Reding is keen to quickly select a European standard ahead of the Euro Football Cup which will take place in June and which is considered a pivotal event for the launch of mass consumption of mobile TV in Europe. 

The Olympic Games, foreseen in August, are supposed to have the same effect. Indeed, TV mobile is considered particularly appropriate for the viewing of sport events.

The Commission considers a fast and successful launch of a new European standard for mobile television as crucial both for the development of a sound EU market, and to impose the bloc's technology to the rest of the world.

"We think we have a chance to repeat the success of the GSM standard for mobile phones," which was first launched in the EU and then became a worldwide paradigm, said Reding"s spokesperson, Martin Selmayr.

According to the figures provided by the European Commission, the market for mobile TV might reach €20 billion in value by 2011, with a potential of 500 million customers worldwide.

The choice of DVB-H as a standard has understandably been opposed by companies that have been developing alternative technologies, such as Siemens or Microsoft that are behind DMB (Digital Multimedia Broadcasting), the most credible alternative to DVB-H.

But Brussels decided to leave a door partially open to competitors by not making the use of the new standard compulsory, although EU rules grant this power to the Commission. "It is a soft pushing," said Selmayr. "We are not using the nuclear weapons that are at our disposal," he added underlining that national authorities "have to privilege" but not impose DVB-H.

Viviane Reding, EU Commissioner for the Information Society and Media said : "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 endorses DVB-H as the preferred technology for terrestrial mobile broadcasting."

Quentin Howard, President of WorldDMB, commented  after the first positioning of the Commission last July: "Europe’s citizens and economy will not benefit from European Commission intervention that restricts technology and innovation." 

"We have always advocated a multi-standard approach including DMB and DVB-H. WorldDMB and the DVB Forum are already collaborating because we recognise this is the only way Europe’s citizens will be able to enjoy a variety of mobile services within the timescale the Commission would like," he added.