Channel surf as easy as at home - Mobile TV Streaming makes it possible

Category: Software

With help from Siemens, mobile operators can already offer their customers several TV channels for the mobile phone today, with full coverage over GPRS or W-CDMA/UMTS networks. To this end, Siemens has added “Mobile TV Streaming” to its Media Delivery Solution , the solution for video streaming and downloading. With Mobile TV Streaming, users can channel surf just as easily as with the TV remote control at home. Unlike all other streaming solutions currently available on the market, the Media Delivery Solution from Siemens allows users to switch channels in seconds with the simple push of a button. The streaming technology also offers time-shifted television as well as selected movies and video sequences, similar to a DVD player.

 

With special tools in the Media Delivery Solution, operators can put together programming for specific target groups that starts at certain times of the day during which these groups tend to be particularly active. The services can also be customized, for example when customers are especially interested in certain sports or reject advertising for specific products.

 

The streaming content is stored on a server. Both live transmissions and video on demand are possible. The pictures appear right away on the display and don’t require long downloads since the server transmits the data to the handset practically in real time. Mobile TV Streaming can offer interactive services like surveys or games and allows customers to select their own personal programming. On the other hand, network operators can also schedule transmissions — for example live programs — at a certain time and distribute the data stream to a large number of users simultaneously. Even more efficient mass distribution of video is possible with DVB-H ( Digital Video Broadcast for Handhelds), i.e. a single server reaches many mobile users simultaneously over a broadcast network.

 

“The combination of DVB-H and streaming via mobile radio will show us all television from a new angle: With a combo device we will have the freedom, for example, to watch movies at specific times or on demand. A football fan, can watch an international match from anywhere on the move over DVB-H, even while away on business. If he wants to savor the goals again, he can have them streamed to his mobile phone via UMTS,” said Christoph Caselitz , President of Mobile Networks at Siemens Communications.

 

Streaming and DVB-H are clearly complementary, which means that the Siemens Media Delivery Solution will develop into a dual platform that supports both technologies. Most likely, mobile phones will be available that can receive both streaming and DVB-H in addition to telephones that are limited to one or the other.

 

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