IDC Identifies Mobile TV as the Catalyst of Consumer Digital Convergence

<p>NORTH SYDNEY, October 19th, 2005 – IDC's latest research into the ongoing developments of mobile multimedia reveals that disparate audio and video services are now being merged into a single, immersive experience – "mobile TV". This new research identifies mobile TV broadcasting as an innovative example of multimedia convergence on the cellular platform, as well as being a revolutionary mechanism for digital content delivery to mobile phones.</p>
<p>"Catalysing consumer digital convergence, mobile TV represents the zenith of mobile convergence as it completes the mobile triple play picture by bringing content to the handset," said Warren Chaisatien, IDC Australia's Wireless &amp; Mobility Research Manager.</p>
<p>With a host of international digital broadcasting standards already in place, the implementation of mobile TV is carefully crafted as a high-value proposition for the mobile ecosystem.</p>
<p>"Since mobile TV broadcasting is a nascent industry anywhere in the world, understanding users' consumption behaviour and preferences, which can be highly localised, will be the ultimate key to its success," added Jerson Yau, IDC Australia's Wireless &amp; Mobility Associate Analyst and co-author of the study.</p>
<p>IDC's study, titled "Defining A New Prime Time: Mobile TV Developments in Australia, 2005" discusses the various mobile TV standards competing for dominance, the morphing business models, and mobile TV's potentials beyond its entertainment value. It also sheds light on Australia's first DVB-H mobile TV trial currently underway by Telstra and The Bridge Networks.</p>
<p>Key findings from the study include:</p>
<p>• The emergence of digital content broadcasting standards is giving rise to an efficient off-cellular network delivery of mobile TV that overcomes the scalability issue associated with the current user-initiated mobile TV method widely deployed on 2.5G/3G networks.</p>
<p>• The global mobile TV standard landscape is highly fragmented, with players along the mobile ecosystem – content providers, network broadcasters, and mobile carriers – using standards that reflect the fragmentation of the digital TV and cellular market today.</p>
<p>• Various mobile TV business models have been proposed, but the network broadcaster-mobile carrier balanced model will most likely prove the most popular.</p>
<p>Mobile TV broadcasting has the potential to become a very effective location-specific broadcast mechanism while real-time viewer demographics will also add a new dimension to customised programming and advertising.</p>
<p>For press enquiries please contact:</p>
<p>Jerson Yau
Associate Analyst, Wireless &amp; Mobility
Email: jyau@idc.com
Phone: 61 2 9925 2205</p>
<p>or</p>
<p>Warren Chaisatien
Research Manager, Wireless &amp; Mobility
Email: wchaisatien@idc.com
Phone: 61 2 9925 2256</p>
<p>Click here to view the press release online:
http://www.idc.com.au/press/detail.asp?releaseid=192</p>
<p>Click here to subscribe to IDC press releases and newsletters online:
http://www.idc.com.au/newsletters/register/</p>

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