CES 2007: MobiTV debuts mobile WiMAX TV service
At this year’s CES MobiTV is demonstrating what it claims is the first TV service for the mobile WiMAX platform.
The technology enables mobile WiMax operators, such as mobile phone and broadband service providers, to offer premium TV content over a super fast 802.16e network, rather than a conventional 3G network.
At CES, MobiTV is demonstrating TV at 30 frames per second using the News Corporation owned NDS VideoGuard Digital Rights Management (DRM) and Conditional Access (CA) server. This is the same technology used by BSkyB for encrypting its digital TV channels in the UK.
Sky already has partnerships in the UK with mobile phone companies such as Vodafone to deliver its content via a mobile phone. It also offers a SkyPlus programming option via mobile.
However, the digital TV broadcaster is one of many companies which is sure to be interested in extending its reach using a high-speed wireless network via WiMAX. All we need now is more WiMAX networks – something which doesn’t seem very likely until more spectrum is released.
Currently, Pipex and PCCW – the two WiMax licence holders in the UK – only have plans to use the technology for private networks.
Quick Links:
MobiTV
What is WiMax – Wikipedia?
NDS
The Register – Here’s Why WiMAX won’t fly
Check out the rest of our CES coverage.
