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.

Two of the world’s leading music companies have partnered on a joint venture in China that will research and develop technology for distributing media to mobile phones.

The revelation Tuesday, sees Sony BMG Music Entertainment and the Warner Music Group join forces to invest in Access China Media Solutions, in what Warner dubbed “a strategic investment”.

Access – a joint venture between Japanese company, Access and US firm, Melodeo – creates software that makes the user’s experience of downloading music, video and ringtones, an easy experience. China currently has around 460 million mobile users and the pair are betting that as mobiles become more sophisticated, they will play an increasingly important role in entertainment.

Thomas Hesse, president of global digital business at Sony BMG said: “We think a good chunk of those consumers will be looking at their phones as an entertainment device.”

According to a press release from Sony and Warner, the pair will be focusing closely on Chinese oriented music.

Sony and Warner will also be keen to examine how to make China’s music market, which is rife with piracy, more secure. Michael Nash, senior vice president of digital and business development at Warner Music said: “Physical piracy in China is an enormous problem that’s created a crisis around investment in repertoire and artists.”

Alcatel-Lucent (Euronext Paris and NYSE: ALU) today announced the availability of its managed Mobile Interactive TV service in the Asian Pacific Region. The solution will allow content and service providers to address the growing demand for Interactive Mobile TV services by offering a differentiating user-centric experience to their customers based on best in class technology. The managed business model will enable them to introduce the new service quickly, cost-effectively and at low risk.

Alcatel-Lucent will deploy, host and operate the end-to-end solution whilst content and service providers will focus on developing service marketing programs and enhancing user satisfaction. The service also offers content providers an open environment for content aggregation to easily create compelling “interactive made-for-mobile channels”.

The service is providing a high quality experience for users thanks to ergonomic and intuitive navigation interfaces such as fast channel zapping and can accommodate a diverse range of handset configurations and network delivery methods such as those that are 3G circuit switched, packet switched or broadcasted.

“Mobile TV is a reality today and is gaining momentum in Asia. With more than 80 multimedia services in operation worldwide, Alcatel-Lucent enjoys a leadership position in the booming mobile TV market and is ideally positioned to help its customers deliver a user-centric experience for their subscribers. The Alcatel-Lucent’s managed Mobile Interactive TV service gives content and service providers a fantastic opportunity to deliver revenue generating entertainment services to their customers”, said Frederic Rose, Head of Alcatel-Lucent’s activities in Asia Pacific.