Broadcast TV On Your Mobile, Sydney trials

I don't really know the difference between this and Foxtel already available on Telstras Next G network but a trial is currently being coordinated by the Ai Group’s Australian Digital Suppliers Industry Forum (ADSIF) where mobile phone users in Sydney can access live broadcast television directly to their mobiles.Maybe it is free.

The trial is currently being run by the Optus Network and is available for various handsets supplied by Nokia and LG Electronics. The purpose of the trial is to showcase the state-of-the-art broadcast mobile TV capabilities available, raise awareness about the industry, assess the transmission coverage of broadcasts and obtain feedback on mobile TV usage.

Australia has one of the highest rates per-capita of mobile phone ownership, so this trial will test the feasibility of introducing this technology to the market, bringing to Australia services similar to those already available in a number of other countries in Europe, Asia and the USA. ADSIF will demonstrate to the Australian Government the advantages of this service, in anticipation of the Government setting a date for the allocation of one of the two planned 7 MHz “datacasting” channels for mobile broadcast TV services.

Mobile TV will allow network operators to offer a diverse range of very high quality video services without additional load on their existing 3G capacities. In excess of 20 separate video streams can be provided within a 7 MHz UHF channel.

There are currently nine video streams available during the trial, these include: the Seven Network, ABC, SBS, Fox Sports News, Sky News Business, CNN International, Cartoon Network, MTV and the MySpace Road Tour.