Mobile TV shouldn't seek to mimic old-style terrestrial TV
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Ofcom looks likely to auction off the old analogue terrestrial TV spectrum by the end of the year. Various types of applications will battle it out to inherit this scarce resource, but no doubt mobile TV will feature in the line-up of expectant bidders. In the US, satellite TV provider the Dish network successfully clinched some terrestrial spectrum in the FCC auctions.
Moving pictures on mobile phones is certainly a growth area - industry insiders are pretty unanimous that mobile video is growing by leaps and bounds (albeit from a small base). Most of the traffic so far is video clips, be they streamed or downloaded. Interestingly, in the always-trailblazing adult sector, pictures are now often free or nearly free, used to entice punters to pay for videos instead.
The interest in the spectrum, however, comes from a desire to run broadcast services. Like most services in the mobile industry, it has been talked about for longer than anyone can remember. But it's a slightly curious thing that while the TV industry itself is reshaping to cater for consumer expectations of more personalised TV, the most individual digital device of them all is being targeted for one-to-many distribution.
The changes over other TV distribution channels are multiple and well known. PVR services like Sky+ and Virgin Media's V-Plus enable viewers to watch episodes when they want, making them used to more choice and better value. Internet TV viewing is growing as well, bringing even more choice to viewers.
Mobile TV technologies can, of course, do much more than linear TV broadcasting. In Italy, mobile operators offer stop-and-play films. They also have mobile USB modems capable of receiving DVB-H-based mobile TV, enabling users to watch on a more convenient screen. In current mobile streaming services, loops of bite-sized programming rather than regular programming are often provided. But these types of services still stop short of fully integrating into the mix the communication, payment and other features already present on mobile.
Proponents of DVB-H note that response mechanisms and other features are included in the standard. But it still remains somewhat questionable whether audiences in a few years' time, when they've had a chance to get even more accustomed to on-demand media, will be that keen on broadcast mobile TV at all. With a range of options for programming from established channels and internet providers alike, viewers will also certainly need assistance in finding what they'd like to view. Personalised recommendations of content provided on mobile phones might be the optimum way forward, but rather less reliant on broadcast unless 'marketing loops' of topic-specific programming are considered. It's less personalised but easier to deliver.
Whatever the best option, the challenge for broadcast mobile TV providers will be to ensure that they're not getting stuck in the rut of attempting a pure mobile reproduction of 'old' TV, but instead bring programming, features and services that best suit a mobile user. To do that means forgetting most of what's gone before and thinking completely out of the box.
Jessica Sandin is head of mobile and senior consultant at ?Whatif! Digital, formely Fathom Partners; jessica.sandin@fathompartners.com
