The European Union (EU) is expected to announce a continent-wide standard for the delivery of television services to mobile phones.
Mobile TV allows the transmission of live broadcasts, news and sports direct to consumers’ mobile phone handsets, but has yet to be widely adopted.
But this could change if EU media commissioner Viviane Reding announces the Nokia and Motorola-supported DVB-H format for Europe-wide use as expected.
DVB-H is the most widely-adopted of the three technologies that enable mobile TV in the EU, but its selection over rival systems DMB, which is widely used in South Korea, and another provided by US group Qualcomm, could generate controversy.
Some industry experts believe market forces should determine which technologies consumers choose.
Virgin Mobile offers DMB-based technology in the UK, while Vodafone, T-Mobile and O2 plan to show mobile TV using DVB-H.
Events such as the European football championships and Olympics next year could be instrumental in driving take-up of mobile TV and are significant factors in the industry seeking a quick decision.
