BT blitzes mobiles with multiple TV & radio channels

Stuart Corner
Sunday, 10 September 2006 12:55

Your IT - Home IT

BT has launched a wholesale mobile broadcast entertainment service, BT Movio, with content from four of the UK's free-to-air TV channels and audio content from up to 50 digital radio stations available.

• Announcements

The service is delivered over the UK's digital audio broadcast (DAB) network not the cellular network and requires special phones to receive it. The network covers more than 85 percent of the UK population. BT claims this is the only network in the UK that  provides adequate capacity to deliver a number of TV channels. The service will provide access to all the UK’s DAB stations -  between 30 and 50 -  in most major towns and cities in the UK.

The initial TV line up will include BBC One, ITV1, Channel 4 and E4. BT claims that the service, BT Movio is the first wholesale offer in the world to combine live TV, DAB digital radio, a seven-day programme guide and ‘red button’ interactivity for mobile phones.

Virgin Mobile has launched as the first retial provider of the service, but others are expected to follow. With the exception of some film, sport and US-produced content, the entire BBC One, ITV1 and E4 programming will be simulcast by BT Movio. BBC One will be available on a trial basis for 12 months and will be provided free to consumers. Channel 4 will initially broadcast Channel 4 Short Cuts, its made-for-mobile TV channel, and expects that Channel 4 simulcast will follow.

The red button interactivity - which will not include BBC One initially - allows consumers to participate in TV and radio programmes by directing their phone’s browser to web services specific to the programme that they are watching or hearing.

The launch device for the BT Movio service is the Virgin Mobile Lobster 700TV phone. Manufactured by HTC, it is the world’s first DAB-IP enabled device, and the first of what BT says are several being developed to support the service. Virgin Mobile will offer the mobile TV phone and service free for customers on a contract of £25 a month or more, for the life of their contract. The phone is available on pre-pay for £199, when the service will be free for an initial three-month period, followed by a charge of £5 a month.