Abertis Telecom and Alcatel-Lucent (Euronext Paris and NYSE: ALU) today announced that they have set up a joint workgroup to evaluate the potential of Alcatel-Lucent’s “Unlimited Mobile TV” solution for Abertis Telecom’s broadcast TV business. The joint workgroup has started a technical evaluation of Alcatel-Lucent’s proposed system. These analyses will validate certain technical and cost hypotheses associated with the deployment of Alcatel-Lucent’s solution in relation with new business opportunities for Abertis Telecom.
This cooperation follows a straightforward rationale after the acquisition by Abertis of a significant stake in Eutelsat Communications, which invested jointly with SES ASTRA into an S-Band (2.2 GHz) payload onboard Eutelsat’s W2A satellite provided by Alcatel Alenia Space, allowing the delivery of mobile broadcast services over Europe. In this context, Alcatel-Lucent’s “Unlimited Mobile TV” solution, using a high-power satellite complemented by terrestrial repeaters in the S-Band, could represent one of the first examples of synergies for hybrid terrestrial/satellite telecommunication networks and applications, further projecting Abertis’ telecommunications business internationally.
Both companieswill perform together live mobile TV demonstrations during the 3GSM World Congress 2007 in Barcelona from February 12 to 15, 2007. These demonstrations are based on the forthcoming DVB-SH broadcast mobile TV standard. Abertis Telecom, as “The official 3GSM Mobile TV Network Partner”, will provide their support to showcase the forthcoming DVB-SH technology on the Alcatel-Lucent’s booth (Hall 8, Booth# A8 139 & A8 147).
Abertis Telecom stands as the reference TV broadcast network operator in Spain. Its cooperation with Alcatel-Lucent places Abertis Telecom in the best position to assess the potential of the S-band, which is widely available across the continent, for the cost-efficient delivery of broadcast mobile TV in Europe. In Spain, results from several DVB-H trials lead by Abertis Telecom confirmed the users’ acceptance of a high-quality mobile TV service proposition.
The commitment of Alcatel-Lucent’s “Unlimited Mobile TV” solution is to make television available on mobile phones and other devices throughout rural and urban areas, including indoors, with a wide range of programming options and excellent image quality, regardless of the number of viewers simultaneously watching the same program.
Alcatel-Lucent is committed to support service providers in delivering a truly converged TV experience. Alcatel-Lucent has already established a leading position in interactive TV services, and already enables TV, video and music services for more than 110 fixed and mobile service providers around the world.