Alcatel (Paris: CGEP.PA and NYSE: ALA) announced today the successful demonstration of Europe’s first broadcast of live TV channels on mobile handsets in S-band. The demonstration took place in Alcatel’s UK premises. It is using the new DVB-SH standard (Satellite services for Handhelds), which is currently being drafted by the DVB Project. To perform this demonstration, Alcatel was assisted by UK broadcasters Sky, ITV and BBC.

Representatives from European mobile operators, TV broadcasters, industry analyst firms and regulatory bodies attending this demonstration were able to enjoy high quality images displayed on SAGEM myMobileTV handsets. These terminals are using the S-band telecom frequency between 2.17GHz and 2.20GHz, which is adjacent to the 3G/UMTS band. 30MHz of spectrum is currently available all across Europe and in other major regions in the world.

DVB-SH is a new technology targeting the S-band. DVB-SH is a related standard to DVB-H. With DVB-SH technology, Mobile TV signals can be broadcast from satellites as well as from terrestrial transmitters directly to handhelds. DVB-SH handhelds can be designed in such a way that they become compatible with DVB-H so that both standards can be received in one end-user terminal.

In addition, Alcatel demonstrated two possible key technical features using the DVB-SH standard. Reception Antenna Diversity, a feature using two antennas inside the same mobile device, enables improvements in the signal quality under difficult conditions. Furthermore, improved Time Interleaving overcomes fading impairment in mobility conditions. The significant quality enhancement was demonstrated by implementing these DVB-SH features.

On the occasion of this demonstration, Professor Ulrich Reimers, Chairman of the Technical Module of DVB Project declared: “I am delighted to have been given the opportunity to witness a live Mobile TV demonstration in the S-band even before the new Mobile TV standard has been finally designed. Within the DVB -Project, we have decided to give that standard a new name – DVB-SH – digital video broadcast from satellite for handhelds. DVB-SH is a perfect complement to other standards, such as DVB-H, which is typically using UHF frequencies but is capable of using the L-band. Thus DVB-SH may have a significant impact on the global Mobile TV industry.”

Olivier Coste, President of Alcatel’s mobile broadcast activities concluded: “Quality of Service is essential for operators to attract and retain Mobile TV users. Today, we demonstrated that high quality live Mobile TV using the S-band works. This can be up and running commercially very soon. With the additional benefits of universal indoor and countrywide coverage, the fundamentals of our solution are already solid enough to enable operators to profit from sustainable Mobile TV market growth thanks to the S-band.”

3 to trial live broadcast TV over mobile

3, Ireland’s mobile media network, is pleased to announce that it has been awarded a licence by ComReg to trial broadcast TV services over mobile handsets. The licence takes effect immediately and runs for one year.

DVB-H is a technology specifically developed for broadcasting live television channels via mobile handsets. Broadcast mobile TV transmitted via DVB-H has the potential to bring a number of consumer benefits including:

* Access to many live TV channels.
* An enhanced customer experience through new functionality such as interactive TV.
* High-quality pictures and sound without delays, freezing or buffering.
* An efficient delivery system which reduces battery consumption.

Robert Finnegan, 3′s Managing Director commented: “3 Italy was first in Europe to launch broadcast TV over mobile, so as a Group we are already leading the development of this new technology. Ireland has a high take-up of digital TV services compared to many EU countries with 42% of all households using digital TV services. DVB-H brings the benefits of Digital TV to mobile. Mobile TV is important to 3 and to the Irish market, as consumers demand more sophisticated mobile services.”

The Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, Mr Noel Dempsey, TD, said: “I welcome all developments in the digital television area. It is particularly important that Ireland rolls out a digital terrestrial television network in the coming years and that the full range of digital services become available to the Irish citizen.”

3′s sister company in Italy launched its DVB-H service called WalkTV earlier this year and is already broadcasting mobile TV to a large audience, with 140,000 customers signing up in just six weeks.

3′s DVB-H tests in Ireland follow the success of a range of TV content available on 3 from Barclays Premiership highlights and the best of Father Ted, to 3′s own music channel hosted by Tom Dunne.

Motorola, Inc. (NYSE:MOT), a global leader in mobile communications today announced an agreement with PCCW-HKT Telephone Limited, a subsidiary of Hong Kong’s leading telecommunications provider, PCCW Limited (SEHK: 0008, NYSE ADR: PCW), to conduct a six-month technical trial using Motorola’s end-to-end Mobile TV system in Hong Kong.

The trial will run from September 2006 to March 2007 within Hong Kong’s Quarry Bay district and will include Motorola DVB-H enabled mobile devices, network solutions and interactive services platform. During the course of the trial, PCCW will evaluate the technical capabilities and the operational performance of DVB-H in Hong Kong.

“Mobile TV is the next generation of mobile video entertainment experiences and this trial is an important step forward in bringing this experience to consumers,” said Simon Leung, president of Motorola Asia Pacific. “We’re pleased to work together with PCCW to support their efforts and hope to see these services based on our solutions to become commercially available for Hong Kong subscribers soon after the technical trial.”