London trial for mobile TV technology

A new mobile TV system that could realise the commercial potential of mobile TV broadcasting will be tested in London this summer as part of a collaboration between Orange and T-Mobile.

The two telecoms giants will share masts and 3G spectrum space in the first commercial trial of the TDtv technology.

US wireless company NextWave developed the technology at its UK base.

Set for the second half of the year, the six-month trial follows initial tests of the mobile TV service in Bristol in 2007.

Emin Gurdeni, technical director of T-Mobile UK, explained that the technology pilot will showcase the business potential of the mobile TV sector.

"On a technical level, our involvement with this TDtv pilot is intended to raise awareness of the potential of broadcast mobile TV and help stimulate the development of an industry-wide ecosystem in which operators, handset manufacturers and content providers collaborate to realise a robust commercial proposition," he commented.

The expert also said such technology could be bolstered by the upcoming 2012 Olympic Games, offering a new option for broadcasting live events to large numbers of people.

Allen Salmasi, chief executive of NextWave Wireless, described the announcement as "an important milestone in the evolution of mobile multimedia".