A three-month mobile TV pilot was implemented in Helsinki in spring 2005. The pilot was a joint project of seven participant companies (YLE, MTV, Nelonen, Digita, Nokia, Elisa and TeliaSonera). Nokia 7710 phones equipped with TV receivers were distributed to 500 pilot users, half of whom were Elisa’s and half TeliaSonera’s mobile customers. The pilot featured the national TV channels and foreign theme channels, including BBC World, CNN, Euronews, Fashion TV and VIVA Plus. A small number of tailored mobile TV services were also developed for the pilot.
The pilot network comprising three main transmitters and a few repeaters provided coverage for an area between the Kehä I and Kehä III ring roads around Helsinki. The repeaters were needed for indoor coverage and shadow zones of tall buildings. It may be assumed that the DVB-H network will make extensive use of the existing base stations. Reception in the archipelago outside Helsinki has been found to be good in many places and boat owners may well be among the first target groups for mobile TV services.
The time when it will be possible to receive commercial mobile TV on the user’s mobile phone is not far off. The first commercial phone models for mobile TV will be launched on the market during 2006, and more extensive commercial services will come into use towards the end of the year or early in 2007.
User experiences
The findings of the 2005 user pilot indicated that users wanted more varied content on their mobile TV and are prepared to pay for the services.
Various user questionnaires have indicated that there is definitely interest in mobile TV. The first experiences have revealed that people watch mobile TV while using public transport, at home and in the workplace. Peak viewing times are during rush hours and in the early evening. The news, weather forecasts, sports, current affairs programmes and various light entertainment serials have proved especially popular. Users have been particularly interested in the independence of location offered by mobile TV.
