Virgin's first mobile TV handset sighted - ZDNet UK News

The first handset in the UK to support mobile broadcast TV has appeared in a Carphone Warehouse brochure, which quotes a September release date.

The catalogue has Virgin Mobile's Lobster 700 TV device — designed by HTC and running on Windows Mobile 5.0 — listed in the "coming soon" section.

Both Virgin Mobile and BT, whose technology will underpin the device, have been unwilling to name a launch date.

A spokesperson for Virgin Mobile declined to confirm the launch date on Thursday, telling ZDNet UK: "The date is still changing at the moment. We're looking at September but it might be a little later on."

There is also as yet no word from BT, which is supplying the content through its Movio platform, as to what programming users can expect.

The device will be the first in the UK to provide broadcast television to mobiles through the DAB-IP (Digital Audio Broadcasting — Internet Protocol) standard, which is a new extension of the popular digital radio platform DAB.

A rival standard, called DVB-H (Digital Video Broadcasting — Handheld) will theoretically provide a greater range of channels, but has been held up because the spectrum it needs isn't available in the UK.

Both standards promise a better user experience than previous efforts at TV handsets, which have been based on bandwidth-hungry 3G technology and have generally been limited to short clips.

Telstra tunes out of digital TV sale | Business | The Australian

Telstra has pulled back on its commitment to a technology that is known as DVB-H, following a high-profile 12-month trial with Macquarie Bank's Broadcast Australia.

Mobile TV, using DVB-H, is at the centre of plans by Ms Coonan to release, or auction, two bands of broadcast spectrum for so-called "new services".

Telstra is instead advancing plans to use a different technology standard known as MBMS over its new mobile phone network, which will start operations early next year.

Clearwire Corp. Takes Aim at Mobile WiMax Business

Less than three years old, Clearwire has struck alliances with Intel, Motorola and Bell Canada to give it a rapidly growing stake in the broadband wireless market, with a determination to be a major player in the mobile-capable WiMax technology that is just around the corner.

Vodafone denies 3G snub - ZDNet UK News

Following reports that it has given up on recouping its 3G investment, Vodafone says customers are still keen on services like mobile TV, but admits video-calling is a flop