Boost for Czech mobile TV

[khurramdar]

Boost for Czech mobile TV

By Chris Dziadul
January 13, 2010 09.00 UK

The long-awaited launch of mobile TV services has moved step closer in the Czech Republic.

HN reports that the government has approved an amendment to the Telecommunications Act that does away with a cross-ownership rule preventing operators from obtaining digital TV broadcasting licences. The amendment will now be voted on by the Czech parliament later this week.

Although both T-Mobile and Vodafone have welcomed the move, doubts as to the prospects for mobile TV in the Czech Republic have been expressed by several parties.

Martin Zabka, a spokesman for the incumbent telco Telefónica O2, referred to DVB-H technology as being “outdated and unprofitable”, with the trend now being one of “watching video downloaded via 3G smartphones on display”.