UK mobile operators Orange, O2 and Vodafone today announced a joint trial of mobile broadcasting services.
The system, known as Integrated Mobile Broadcast (IMB), will be provided by Ericsson, IPWireless and Streamezzo. Using the technology, the…
UK mobile operators Orange, O2 and Vodafone today announced a joint trial of mobile broadcasting services.
The system, known as Integrated Mobile Broadcast (IMB), will be provided by Ericsson, IPWireless and Streamezzo. Using the technology, the operators will seek to deliver live streaming video and offload traffic from existing 3G networks by broadcasting and storing popular content on the device.
The three-month trial, taking place in central London and Slough, will assess how mobile broadcast services can be deployed using shared network infrastructure.
IMB is a standardised 3GPP technology recently endorsed by the GSMA. As well as offering broadcast services to customers, it can seamlessly link with traditional unicast or on-demand services delivered over 3G.
The proposed technology broadcasts in a little used tranche of the 3G spectrum known as the Time Division Duplex (TDD) spectrum. Already part of the 3G licences held by many European mobile operators, this spectrum has remained largely unused because of a lack of appropriate technology. Currently, 3G TDD spectrum is available to over 150 operators across 60 countries covering more than half a billion subscribers.
Luke Ibbetson, Head of Technology R&D at Vodafone Group, stressed that the initiative would seek to address rising data traffic while seeking to deliver 3G broadcasting.
Thierry Bonhomme, EVP in charge of Networks, Carriers and R&D at Orange added that good network capability would allow operators to maximise benefits from 3G investments with “high quality TV service deployments on an efficient, pragmatic and scalable solution that works from country to country”.
Gavin Franks, Head of New Business Development at O2, said that the GSMA endorsement had been key, and that mobile TV and intelligent broadcasting would benefit users.
Dan Warren, Director of Technology at the GSMA, applauded the proposed trial, which could positively impact the global mobile community.”
IPWireless will supply the core 3GPP broadcast technology that will explore the performance of the TDD spectrum for mobile broadcast services. Ericsson, as the prime integrator, will provide integration services and a media platform. Amdocs subsidiary Streamezzo, meanwhile, will provide the rich media user interface.
