Executive Summary

Historically, the wireless mobile industry has changed the way that we live, work and play by providing
communications anytime, anywhere to anyone at an affordable price. A new technology application in the
cellular industry will again change the way we live. In the near future, mobile television services –
delivered over cellular networks to handheld wireless terminals – offer great promise as potential revenue
generators for players across the value chain (e.g., network operators, broadcasters/content providers,
equipment manufacturers).

Emerging technologies are making it possible for the wireless industry and its business partners to
consider providing mobile TV services that would mirror the profitable (and highly popular) broadcast and
subscription services offered to consumers today for their home or office TV sets. These technologies
would effectively expand the universe for television by allowing it to become no longer just a stationary
activity, but one that lets consumers view while on the go.

System design issues – in particular, decisions surrounding the adoption of unicast versus broadcast
distribution models – are expected to have a significant impact on the rate at which a vigorous market for
mobile TV services develops. While every proposed distribution technology presents its own unique
challenges and trade-offs, several digital broadcast models – based on established open standards – are
attracting most of the attention in key wireless markets worldwide.

One such promising standard – Digital Video Broadcast-Handheld (DVB-H) is already being deployed
with initial technology trials in Europe and the United States in progress and large-scale commercial trials
expected by 2006. As such, DVB-H is a good case study for exploration in this paper, which will also
briefly describe the other proposed mobile TV standards.

Introduction: Mobile TV – The Next Big “Killer App” in Wireless?

In the U.S. market, average revenue per user (ARPU) is slowly eroding among competing cellular service
providers as the wireless subscriber penetration rate begins to level. New wireless data services and
applications are an essential element of the industry’s efforts to reverse this trend – and few options are
more attractive than mobile TV as a way to reduce subscriber churn, attract new subscribers and increase
ARPU.

Although detailed business cases are still being worked out among all the players in the value chain, early
indications are that a mobile TV service could be offered profitably in the U.S., even if only a portion of the
subscriber base adds the capability as part of their service package. In addition, mobile TV would serve
to increase the carrier’s ARPU noticeably, while also contributing to reduced churn among existing
subscribers. About 20-30% of all mobile subscribers interviewed in a recent IPDC Forum study believe
mobile TV is a “good” or “great” idea. Even at this relatively conservative take-rate among subscribers,
mobile TV appears capable of driving incremental revenue for service providers. The British research firm
visiongain predicts the DTV handset market to grow to over 105 million units worldwide by 2009, from the
expected five million units in 2005.

Among consumers, there appear to be few conceptual hurdles to the development of a robust market for
live digital TV services delivered to the mobile handset. Importantly, consumers in the Americas, Europe,
Japan, Korea and other developed economies already spend a significant amount of time each day
enjoying TV programming – in most cases, far more time than they devote to telephony applications. It’s
only natural that they’d find it appealing to be able to take their favorite programs with them. This is
particularly true in large cities, where research suggests that mass-transit commuters would welcome new
options for entertaining themselves during their long rides to and from home.

Even with no live digital broadcast TV services available for mobile handsets today, consumers
understand the appeal of such a technology. A recent study among European consumers showed:
• Nearly 78% of respondents called mobile TV a good or excellent idea;
• More than 80% of potential users expressed a willingness to pay additional fees for mobile TV; and

2
• Almost 50% of potential users said they would consider changing service providers to get mobile TV if
the service wasn’t offered by their current network operator.1

In South Korea – where network operators and handset makers are moving quickly to deploy mobile
video services – about 30% of cellular customers have expressed an interest in mobile TV, particularly if
service providers are able to offer a retransmission of broadcast TV programs to cellular handsets at an
affordable price.2

Key ‘Care-Abouts’: User Expectations and Potential Markets/Business Models

Participants in a Broadcast Mobile Convergence (bmco) study indicated that they would be particularly
interested in content such as news and regional information. However, they view “mobility” and “flexibility”
as the strongest benefits of mobile TV -- it’s the service that they’d find most appealing when they’re
traveling, using public transportation, or waiting in lines. When asked about the preferred way to pay for
content, most consumers in the study favored a service that would offer them a package of services for a
set monthly fee. They expressed a dislike for advertising similar to what’s found on traditional broadcast
TV, but they also indicated that advertising would not diminish their usage of mobile TV – particularly if
the advertising helped to keep subscription prices relatively low.

In a small sample trial with friendly users, bmco found that mobile TV users typically spent about 15
minutes viewing during a single occasion. They found content such as sports, news and music to be their
favorite programming choices. Importantly, the friendly users indicated that “everywhere” reception was a
crucial selling point as they wanted to be able to view their programs indoors and out – wherever they
happened to be.

Early market research indicates that both television broadcasters and cellular service providers would be
able to launch profitable service offerings around mobile TV technology. In the broadcasting industry,
potential revenue streams include:
• Access fees (for basic, enhanced packages of channels, content)
• Pay-TV subscription services (premium channels, pay-per-view)
• Advertising (once mass adoption has occurred)

Mobile system operators would have a complementary set of revenue-generating services to offer their
customers:
• Service subscriptions
• Download sales (e.g., ringtones, applications and games)
• Premium messaging (SMS/MMS revenues from viewer voting, user polls, etc.)
• Portal traffic (links and MMS/e-mail traffic for sending video clips, etc.)

As new services emerge and the subscriber base widens, mobile digital TV could have a significant
impact on current business models in the television industry – potentially changing even our
understanding of “prime time”. Rather than starting at 7 or 8 p.m. when people have arrived home from
work, prime time could well shift to 5 or 6 p.m., as massive new audiences tune in to their favorite shows
on the train, subway or bus ride home.

Early field testing of mobile DTV technologies is already taking place in several geographic areas around
the world, with consumer trials under way in Europe, Japan, Korea and the U.S. By 2006, larger
consumer trials are expected in all of these markets, and wider availability of mobile DTV services is
expected in 2007.

1
Auditorium Test/Goldmedia GmbH, Broadcast Mobile Convergence (bmco) User Survey, July 2004
2
In-Stat, Digital Multimedia Broadcasting In Korea, January, 2005

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Digital Rights Management – Unlocking the Content Challenge
As network and handset technologies evolve – enabling the distribution of valuable, copyrighted content
to mobile devices – digital rights management (DRM) has emerged as a key concern hindering the
development of sustainable business models for services such as digital mobile TV.

In early 2004, the Open Mobile Alliance (OMA)3 proposed a solution to DRM concerns with its OMA DRM
2.0 Enabler Release, an open standard for technology to handle the application of DRM for music, video,
gaming and similar services delivered to wireless devices.

The 2.0 release enhances an earlier OMA specification which tied DRM to a specific service – a business
model common to many digital audio players today. The new standard is based on a “trusted terminal”
concept – requiring that handheld devices support Public-Key Infrastructure (PKI) authentication. This
approach ensures the identity of the handset. The revised specification then builds several new piracy
control mechanisms into the handheld device, allowing for a more robust set of content control options.

The mechanisms include a basic “forward lock” which prevents content from leaving the phone; a
“combined delivery” option that adds further usage rights or restrictions to the content – allowing
consumers to use it only for a specified length of time, or for a specified number of viewings; and a
“separate delivery” option. This mechanism would deliver content as encrypted files, separate from
usage rights. The “separate delivery” option enables a “superdistribution” model in which DRM-protected
content could be sent from handset to handset, but each consumer would have to acquire a license
before being allowed to view the content.

Importantly for the mobile TV market, OMA DRM version 2.0 also supports content subscriptions, allowing
providers to charge for content on a monthly basis. In addition, the OMA protocols would support
capabilities such as gifting – allowing users to pay for content and forward it to a friend; previews –
enabling users to watch a portion of content before purchasing it; and sharing – the sale of licenses that
permit the use of content among a set group of wireless devices. Also, due to the uni-directional nature of
the shared broadcast channel, significant enhancements to DRM 2.0 are required, as listed below:
• Rights Object Acquisition Protocol modified to optimize the protocol message size.
• Rights Expression Language with added types of usage (e.g. time-shift, record, impulse-PPV).
• Subscription Group Addressing introduced to allow definition of a large group of users/devices
authorized to decrypt specific protected content; multiple devices can be addressed using a single
message.
• Broadcast-specific authentication scheme for streaming of encrypted RTP streams.
• Token-based consumption metering of protected content.

Another key feature of the OMA initiative is that it separates the development of the DRM specification
(OMA DRM 2.0 Enabler Release) from the implementation of a business and legal framework for
distributing high-value content. An organization called the Content Management License Administrator
(CMLA) has been formed by a group of manufacturers that will provide the business and legal services
required for the DRM standard. For example, the CMLA will have the ability to serve as the "root of trust"
to manage and distribute the software keys needed to secure content rights. It will also create legal
agreements that stipulate the obligations taken on by all players in the value chain – device
manufacturers, service providers and content providers. These industry agreements could eliminate the
need to draft costly multilateral legal agreements on a case-by-case basis. It is possible that there will be
announcements of other organizations providing similar services.

In addition, OMA has created the OMA BCAST to further define service and content protection for mobile
TV systems. As a broadcast-bearer agnostic group, OMA BCAST has identified required extensions to
the OMA DRM 2.0 specification and other functionalities (such as, service delivery guide creation and
discovery, file and stream distribution, notifications, etc.) for adaptation to the underlying broadcast
distribution systems (BDS), including: DVB-H, 3GPP2 BCMCS, and 3GPP MBMS requirements from

3
The Open Mobile Alliance is a 350-member industry consortium, comprised of software vendors, electronics
manufacturers, content creators and game developers. www.openmobilealliance.org

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wireless operators. It is envisaged that BCAST adaptation to other BDSs may be added as justified by
proven substantial deployments (e.g. possibly, Qualcomm’s FLO system). Motivated by mobile
operators, evolution of DRM schemes and trust models to significantly increase the role of the smartcard
in 3G devices (i.e. rights object binding to the smartcard, as well as storage of rights objects (ROs) in the
smartcard) is part of the OMA standardization. Successful implementation of such schemes could enable
users to carry over ‘valid unused content rights’ between DRM-compliant devices in a user-friendly way.

Mobile Digital TV – Technical Challenges and Competing Solutions

As is the case with cellular phones, it’s expected that different transmission standards for mobile digital
TV will be adopted in different world areas. In the U.S., the debate centers on both fundamental questions
of system design and the distribution technology used to deliver signals to the handset.

The standards discussion is an important one: it could ultimately determine how quickly the market for
mobile digital TV develops, and how large it becomes. Open standards are likely to emerge as the biggest
winners – building on the approach already used in the television and cellular phone markets today, where
open standards have allowed for better interoperability between devices, and the wider development of
applications and services.

DVB-H DVB-H DVB-H DVB-H

Qualcomm DMB DMB or DTV- DMB
MediaFLO M

ISDB-T

DVB-H

Figure 1: Geographical View of mDTV Standards

System Design Models: Streaming/Unicasting vs. Broadcasting

Currently, streaming services – such as the MobiTV™ offering available through some carriers in the
Americas – represent the state-of-the-art in mobile TV in the U.S. However, the appeal of such Unicasting
models could be considered limited, in part because they use voice bandwidth to deliver programming
over the cellular network. (See Figure 2.)

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 Many DVB-H ~330 kb/s
(13.3 Mbps/40 channels)
MBMS/UMTS: 64-256+ Kbps
DVB-H (consumes 7-30% of cell capacity)
ISDB-T MBMS/GSM: 32-128 Kbps
DMB (4 TS with 8-32 kbps/TS)
FLO

MBMS

UMTS: 64 Kbps (CS)

220 Kbps (PS)
Unicast GPRS: ~30 Kbps (PS)
Multimedia Services EDGE: ~100-130 Kbps

Few

Low High
Low Medium High

Figure 2: Comparison of Different Broadcast Standards (Typical)

In a Unicasting service scenario, bandwidth is relatively limited. Transmission rates in UMTS cellular
networks are typically 64 kbps (CS, circuit switch) or 220-320 kbps (PS, packet switch). GPRS networks
generally offer performance in the range of 30-40 kbps (PS), and EDGE networks typically can deliver
100-130 kbps (PS), and HSDPA is expected to provide 550-110 kbps (PS).

Multimedia broadcast and multicast service (MBMS) cellular networks can deliver significantly higher data
rates – 64 to 256 kbps using the MBMS/UMTS protocol; and 32 to 128 kbps with the MBMS/GSM
standard. However, these broadcasting technologies can use up to 30% of the cellular network’s capacity
– potentially diminishing service quality for telephony subscribers, and driving the need for substantial
additional investment in network infrastructure.

Another broadcast technology not shown in Figure 2, called Enhanced BroadCast MultiCast Services
(EBCMCS), is being standardized in 3GPP2. EBCMCS is a backwards compatible enhancement to the
1xEV-DO technology that enables operators to dedicate certain downlink transmission slots for broadcast
services. Since 1xEV-DO takes a time-multiplexed approach to transmitting the pilot, MAC and user traffic
information, it is possible to use OFDM modulation in the broadcast timeslots without interfering with the
pilot and MAC information. Due to the uniqueness of broadcast services where identical information is
sent from all sectors/cells, the narrowband nature of OFDM provides performance advantages for
broadcast services by being able to non-coherently combine the transmissions from multiple base
stations over the air. The performance of EBCMCS is therefore expected to be somewhere between that
shown for MBMS and DVB-H in Figure 2. Note that similar enhancements as introduced for EBCMCS in
3GPP2 may be made to enhance MBMS in 3GPP through Rel'7 or the Long Term Evolution (LTE) work
item.

Newly emerging technologies based on a digital broadcast model could promise far greater commercial
potential for applications involving the mass delivery of television content. By making use of a separate air
interface to access the handset, these broadcast models make it possible for users to enjoy a wide
variety of live television programming – news, traffic reports, sporting events, soap operas, sitcoms,
movies and more – all with no impact on the cellular network’s ability to deliver traditional telephony
services. Further, broadcast services are a highly efficient method of distribution, because they are not
sensitive to the number of people receiving the content within the service area. Separate broadcast air
interfaces for Mobile TV could also support a range of other broadcast applications in addition to live TV,
such as downloading video clips, screen updates for stock tickers, weather, streaming audio,

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 DVB-H
Broadcast services (D-TV)
DMB
Technology
Trials ISDB-T
MBMS -> MBMS+
Broadcast services (cellular)

CommercialClaunch of Required mass-market extension for

highly attractive services and “busy-hours”
“Mobile TV” Services

Unicast Unicast +

“Live”-Streaming based on Improvements

Continuation for personalized,
existing technologies, CS/PS More throughput
interactive Services
Better codecs, audio & video (EDGE, HSDPA
(Services small receiver groups)
Bearers with QoS

2005 2006 2007 2008

Figure 3: Mobile TV Trials and Launches

radio/music content, etc. Providing these services on a dedicated broadcast air interface would free up
capacity on existing unicast voice/data networks.

Commercial launch of mobile TV services is expected to begin in 2005 (see Figure 3) over Unicast
networks, with live streaming programs enabled by improved codecs, audio and video technology.
Additional improvements to the technology (e.g., EDGE, UMTS/HSDPA) will enhance throughput and
quality of service as early as late 2005 and early 2006. However, it’s expected that a mass market
extension technology will have to be developed in order to enable cellular networks to handle “busy-hour”
services and applications, or the distribution of highly attractive television events.

Initial field trials of mobile TV broadcasting technologies will get under way in 2005 (ISDB-T, Japan; DMB,
South Korea) and 2006 (MBMS, MBMS+; DVB-H). These broadcast technologies are expected to deliver
content to mass audiences in a much more cost-effective way than point-to-point transmission.

IPTV – TV Content in Packet Form

Work is also under way today to commercialize IPTV – a new format for content that would encapsulate
TV signals within an IP (Internet Protocol) packet data stream. IPTV data packets could potentially be
distributed over any IP-capable network (e.g., wireless, xDSL, fiber, cable). In wireless networks, the
infrastructure would send general queries periodically to update multicast service schedules. The
application processor within the wireless terminal would then respond to the network’s request with a
membership report, directed to the address of the multicast group.

IPTV applications are potentially very attractive to wireless service providers because such services
would represent a new revenue opportunity that could help the service providers increase returns on their
investment in IP-optimized infrastructures.

IPTV applications would be compatible with an MBMS network design, deployed over conventional
2G/2.5G/3G wireless systems. Potential IPTV applications are also driving interest in the development of
several emerging wireless technologies and frequencies. They include:
• MMDS (Multi-channel Multipoint Distribution Services) and BRS (Broadband Radio Service)
frequency bands: There is 200 MHz total bandwidth partitioned at 5.5 MHz per channel at the 2.5GHz
in the U.S.

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• Fixed Broadband Wireless WiMAX (also known as IEEE802.16): This standard was developed
mainly for nomadic applications. It is unclear if the layer 1 protocol will seamlessly support mobility
applications.
• Mobile WiMAX (also known as IEEE802.16e): This standard is an extension of the Fixed WiMAX
standard, designed to support mobility. The Mobile WiMAX standard specification is currently being
finalized and commercial deployment will likely be 2007 or beyond.

Mobile Broadcast Distribution Technologies – Today’s Alphabet Soup

Already, no fewer than seven transmission technologies – some open, some based on proprietary
standards – have been proposed as potential ways of delivering digital TV broadcasts to the handset.
(See Figure 4: Network Schematics.)

DMB-S S-band
started from Oct/04
DVB-H DVB-
or FLO H or ISDB-T
DMB DMB-T (1-seg)

ATSC DVB-T ATSC ISDB-T

(12-seg)

US Europe Korea Japan

MBMS would be provided over the Wide Area Network or 3G Network

Figure 4: Network Schematics – Broadcast Mobile TV

The proposed transmission technologies include:

¾ DMB – Digital Multimedia Broadcasting: This is an extension of the DAB (Digital Audio Broadcasting)
standard which was started in some European countries (including Germany and others) without
success. The government of South Korea has invested heavily to extend the audio-only technology
to enable multimedia broadcast (now called DMB), and it appears likely that South Korea will adopt
this standard, in both a Satellite (S-DMB) and Terrestrial (T-DMB) version. Recently, a technical trial
of the DMB standard was conducted by Germany’s T-Systems in preparation for the World Cup 2006.
¾ DVB-H – Digital Video Broadcast-Handheld: an extension of the DVB-T (Terrestrial) standard now
being used for digital service to TV sets in Europe. Programming is fed from satellites to transmission
towers, and then distributed to receiving devices. It’s designed to accommodate the unique reception
requirements imposed by mobile users and the limits of an antenna embedded in the handset
environment.
¾ ISDB-T – Integrated Services Digital Broadcasting-Terrestrial: a satellite-to-tower system similar to
DVB-T, today used in Japan to provide digital service to TV sets and handheld mobile units. It has a
bandwidth of 5.6MHz with 13 channels embedded.
¾ MBMS – Multimedia Broadcast Service: uses the 3G pipe to send streaming video and audio to
subscribers via 3G cellular networks. There are 2 modes: broadcast, and multicast. However,
many design issues remain in order to provide multicast service. Overlaying MBMS to 3G networks
will impact the network capacity for individualized voice and data (for which the networks were
originally designed – and which many operators have invested large sums of money to acquire.)
¾ FLO – FLO (Forward Link Only): a Qualcomm-proposed technology and network that uses a limited
number of high-power transmission towers. In one of its operation modes, the technology provides
network-scheduled delivery of multimedia content over the network during off-peak hours. The
content is then stored on the handset for future viewing.

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¾ IPDC – Internet Protocol Datacasting: an IP-based service used to deliver audio, video, data and
graphics via virtually any type of broadband pipes. When the data/playload is TV content, it is also
called IPTV. Both DVB-H and MBMS are a form of IPDC. Using IPCD, data can be multi-casted
simultaneously to a large number of subscribers uni-directionally. Since the transmission of data is
through the IP pipes, this scheme could take advantage of the emerging IP-centric interfaces such as
WiMAX (806.16x), and WiFi (802.11x).

Five transmission technologies – DMB, DVB-H, ISDB-T, MBMS and MediaFLO – are receiving a majority
of the attention in the Americas.

DMB Features and Benefits

Based on European standards originally developed for digital audio broadcasting, the two versions of
DMB have been allocated certain TV channel frequencies by the Korean government (VHF channels 7
through 13 for T-DMB; and 39 channels in the 50 MHz range for S-DMB). The main advantage of T-DMB
is expected to be an attractive price-point -- as an advertising-supported service, consumers will be able
to access programs for little or no cost. However, the T-DMB technology has reception, coverage and
content issues -- currently, its range is limited to an area the size of a large city, and reception in-building
or underground cannot be guaranteed. In addition, the service would be able to handle only a relatively
small number of channels.

The satellite version, S-DMB, is being developed in Korea as a subscription-based service. Coverage will
be available nationwide, for an offering that includes 11 video, 25 audio and 3 data channels. While
handsets will be equipped to receive satellite signals directly, the S-DMB network will require
enhancements such as S-band power controls and gap-fillers, to ensure reception in-building and
underground.

Handset cost and battery life-cycle are expected to be the technical issues that have the greatest impact
on user acceptance of DMB services in Korea. In other nations, the allocation of TV frequencies could
represent significant technical and political hurdles.

DVB-H Features and Benefits

A distribution system based on the existing DVB-T standard would enjoy the benefits of proven
performance: DVB-based systems are already in wide use throughout Europe, making it possible to draw
on existing standards and operational knowledge to deploy new mobile systems quickly. Trial DVB-H
systems are operating in Europe and the United States today.

Other DVB-H benefits include:

• The proposed DVB-H system is spectrally compatible with DVB-T networks, allowing shared use of
the DVB frequency bands – with no impact on the performance of cellular bands. In Europe, these
extend from 470-862 MHz. In the U.S., the band 1670-1675 MHz has been proposed for use with
DVB-H, while bands in the lower and upper 700 MHz ranges also could be used.
• DVB-H can share a multiplex with DVB-T services, allowing service providers to use a digital
broadcast infrastructure for both fixed and mobile TV services.
• The tower-based network design allows service providers to address a variety of usage situations
(outdoor or indoor; pedestrian or moving vehicle; etc.)
• The cellular network and the broadcast network can share the same core infrastructure.
• IPDC format allows for the transmission of encrypted data.
• Cellular networks can be used to handle subscriber administration details, such as billing, payment,
user polling, order entry, etc.

One potential drawback to the DVB-H network design is its reliance on a time-slicing methodology to
reduce power requirements in the handset. While time-slicing provides significant power savings, it can
have an impact on the viewing experience – causing a noticeable delay in signal acquisition when the
user switches from channel to channel.

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ISDB-T Features and Benefits
A key feature of the ISDB-T standard is flexibility for use in transmitting both fixed and mobile reception
services. ISDB-T adopts MPEG-2 for signal multiplexing, enhancing its interoperability with other
information media. ISDB-T specifies OFDM transmission with digital modulation schemes (i.e. QPSK,
DQPSK, 16QAM and 64QAM). The transmitted signal consists of OFDM blocks, along with pilot signals.

This design adds flexibility to broadcasting services, allowing for a type of modulation and error correction
to be independently specified to each OFDM segment group, in up to three hierarchical layers in a radio
frequency channel. Depending on the parameters used, ISDB-T permits a wide range of services –
including HDTV (High Definition Television) broadcasting; multi-channel SDTV (Standard Definition
Television) broadcasting; broadcasting of multimedia and interactive services; and high-quality video,
audio and data for mobile reception.

In an ISDB-T network, signals for both fixed and mobile reception services can be combined in
transmission, through the use of hierarchical layers. Transmission occurs in a continuous flow,
minimizing delays in signal acquisition when the user switches from one channel to another. However,
this also means that the receiver must be powered-on continuously while a program is being viewed. As
a result, power consumption becomes a significant design challenge for handset manufacturers.

MBMS Features and Benefits

Specifications for Multimedia Broadcast and Multicast Service (MBMS) [and the closely-related Broadcast
and Multicast Service (BCMCS)] were set in 2004 by the appropriate 3G industry consortia, paving the
way for the development of broadcast/multicast transport in today’s existing mobile networks. This re-use
of the cellular spectrum is one of the key advantages of MBMS technology, since it reduces
implementation costs both in the network and in handheld terminals. It also eliminates the need to acquire
or reassign radio spectrum to accommodate mobile TV services.

Compared to streaming video services, MBMS scales well – permitting efficient routing of data flows in
the core network (e.g. one data stream per channel, versus one data stream per user in point-to-point
systems). These data streams would be distributed through newly-deployed MBMS “radio bearers”
located in each cell. Along with improved scalability, the MBMS network design also allows network
operators to define services at a very localized level – down to the size of an individual transmission cell.

In UMTS/WCDMA networks, the MBMS design reuses existing logical and physical channels to transmit
both control and scheduling data, as well as to carry the actual MBMS traffic itself. A new physical
channel is required to serve as the system’s indicator channel. With currently available UMTS MBMS
technology, a single 5 MHz cell carrier can support up to 16 channels at 64 Kbps per channel. Antenna
improvements can expand system capacity to 32 channels per cell. In CDMA 2000 networks, physical
channels are also reused, and an additional error-correcting coding layer is placed in the radio access
network, to permit cooperation between the two layers of decoding in the receiver.

Transmission capacity may prove to be a significant drawback to MBMS-based services. While bit rates
of 64 Kbps are adequate for news channel applications, they would likely need to be higher (at least 128
Kbps) for sports channel programming, in order ensure an acceptable level of service quality. The MBMS
technology supports bit rates of up to 256 Kbps, but higher bit rates drive a corresponding decrease in the
number of channels available per cell. The rapid development of new 3G radio capabilities, such as
HSDPA, along with new advanced video and audio codecs in 3GPP, allow for significant improvements in
the performance and cost of 3G unicast-based services.

MBMS systems specify service access based on subscriber- or user-identity modules, to separate access
rights from mobile devices. This model enables network roaming, and relies on existing secure and IPR-
free distribution of service rights.

MediaFLO Features and Benefits

MediaFLO is a system and network proposed by Qualcomm. It claims to provide channel-switching in ~2
seconds, comparable to the performance provided by satellite TV systems. The MediaFLO system is
designed to deliver a significant volume of multimedia content to a large number of subscribers by using
off-peak capacity in both the MediaFLO system and coordinated cellular networks whenever possible.

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This allows service providers to “network schedule” the delivery of video clips in the background, and then
store them on the handset for scheduled viewing.

Qualcomm bought nationwide licenses to the 700 MHz spectrum (the frequency previously used for UHF
TV channel 55) in an FCC auction in 2004. This band, with relatively low frequency and high transmitter
power allowed, is suitable for a small number of towers serving a large area. Thus, MediaFLO (a business
unit of Qualcomm tasked with commercializing the MediaFLO technology) has the airwave capacity to
deliver TV content in the U.S. Detailed technical information about the MediaFLO network and handset
technology is not publicly available as of this writing.

Toward a Productive Vision for Mobile TV Standards

The ideal technical solution for the growth and development of the mobile TV market will deliver an
outstanding viewing experience to the end-user, while also providing compelling business models to all
the players in the value chain: broadcasters and other content providers, handset manufacturers, network
operators and service aggregators.

In part, this suggests that the viewing experience should address the end-user’s desire for programming
that is truly mobile, flexible and immediate. It should offer the best of both “live” television events and
scheduled programming. It should be truly ubiquitous – addressing reception issues that would otherwise
limit access to programming (e.g. “dead spots” in buildings, tunnels, etc.). It should be truly mobile –
incorporating a handset solution that uses battery power efficiently enough to provide extended periods of
TV viewing, while also meeting the end-user’s needs for other key functions (voice, data applications,
etc.)

Similarly, the technical solution should create valuable new business opportunities across the value chain
– allowing industry participants to leverage current investments in programming, network/production
company brands, network infrastructure, subscriber base and other key elements of their business
models.

While other mobile TV technologies can claim their own unique benefits, DVB-H certainly offers an
attractive set of advantages: It is a highly capable and relatively mature technology; it’s based on an
open, published standard; and it’s already being deployed over multiple frequency bands on several
continents. Because DVB-H is expected to continue to play a central role in the development of mobile
TV, this paper will provide a more detailed overview of the DVB-H technology.

DVB-H: Technical Overview

DVB-H is an extension of the DVB-T standard for digital television distribution, which is currently used in
36 countries worldwide. DVB-H has a large base of potential subscribers in Europe, North America and
the Asia-Pacific region, and early field tests are proving-in the technology today.

Both the DVB-T and DVB-H standards are designed specifically for broadcast “one-to-many” wireless
data transport. To provide optimal levels of service quality for mobile users, a DVB-H system would
incorporate several key changes to the link layer and physical layer of a DVB-T system:

Link Layer Modifications:

• Time slicing - to reduce average power consumption of the handheld device, by allowing the receiver
to power on and power off at regular intervals; and to permit smooth and seamless frequency
handover.
• Forward error correction for multi-protocol encapsulated data (MPE-FEC) - to improve C/N
performance and Doppler performance in mobile channels; and to enhance tolerance to impulse
interference.

Physical Layer Modifications:

• Provide DVB-H signaling in the TPS-bits - to enhance and speed up service discovery.
• Provide cell identifier in the TPS-bits - to support quicker signal scan and frequency handover on
mobile receivers.

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• Introduce 4K mode - to enhance robustness in the mobile environment, allowing single-antenna
reception in medium-to-large SFNs. (Optional)

With time-slicing technology, the signal is received in bursts that are then buffered and played back over
a longer period of time. Between bursts of data, the receiver can be powered down, to produce
considerable power savings – up to a 90% reduction in energy requirements. (Only the receiver is
switched off; the transmitter stays on, bursting data packets out over the network continuously.) Both
time-sliced and non-time-sliced services can be provided over a common multiplex, allowing for efficient
use of network infrastructure.

Time-slicing also permits a more robust method for error correction. Using the MPE-FEC protocol allows
for RS data to be delivered over the broadcast network in special FEC sections (using virtual
interleaving). Meanwhile, the IP datagrams are delivered in MPE sections in the same order as they are
received. Broadcast receivers that are not equipped to handle MPE-FEC data simply ignore the FEC
sections. This method of error correction serves to enhance service quality and reception in the DVB-H
system, even when the signal is being received under difficult conditions, via the handset’s small in-built
antenna.

In addition, time-slicing enhances handover support. In a standard DVB-T system, a smooth handover
would require the presence of two front-end receivers in a mobile terminal – one to handle signals from
each broadcast tower, as the user moves from cell to cell. The time-slicing feature of a DVB-H system
eliminates the need for this front-end redundancy, because a single receiver in the handset can be used
to monitor neighboring broadcast towers during transmission “off” times.

The versatility of DVB-H is also enhanced by its use of IP datacasting protocols. The use of IP makes it
possible to broadcast any kind of digital content as IP packets. Therefore, any content that can be
transferred over the Internet can also be broadcast over an IP datacast network – including video
streams, web pages, music files or game software.

System and Network Design Considerations

The objective of a DVB-H network is to provide a cost-effective means of distributing TV programming or
other IP datagrams (such as multimedia content) over digital terrestrial broadcasting networks, to
handheld DVB-H terminals. One advantage of the DVB-H network concept is that its use of separate air
interfaces for service provisioning (mobile TV vs. telephony) encourages partnerships among
broadcasters, content providers and network operators. Their interests are aligned in such a way as to
allow investment in businesses and business models with which each partner is already familiar. Content
creators and broadcasters, for example, can focus on programming, scheduling and creative production;
broadcast network operators, on TV signal distribution; and cellular operators, on point-to-point
communications, customer acquisition, and billing.

The flexibility of the DVB-H network concept is apparent in the variety of potential economic models that
have been proposed for mobile TV services. Typically, the cellular carrier serves as the key channel to
market, retaining the primary relationship with the end user, and managing mobile TV service rights in
association with wireless subscriptions.

In the first option – a broadcaster-led approach – a broadcaster would partner with one or more mobile
telecom operators to deliver services to end-users. Revenue opportunities in this model include access
fees, subscription services and advertising – with both partners collecting payments from end-users.

In a second business model – with mobile telecom operators taking the lead – the cellular companies
would retain the primary relationship with end-users, offering them packages of TV content provided
through content aggregators. Telecom operators would collect fees for the services, and share the
revenues with their partners – the content aggregators and broadcast network operators. Advertising
sold by the aggregators would provide an additional source of revenue for aggregators and content
creators.

A third option proposes the development of independent DVB-H providers. This model also assumes that
telecom operators would retain the primary relationship with end-users, collecting fees for services that
would then flow back through the DVB-H providers to other participants in the value chain.
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A fourth business model option – also led by mobile telecom operators – could involve the cellular
companies contracting directly with content creators to obtain programming, and with broadcast network
operators to deliver TV programming to end users. In this model, the mobile operators would collect fees
from their end-users, and potentially from advertisers, and then split those revenues with other partners in
the value chain.

One feature common to each of the proposed models is that capital requirements – for programming
development, program packaging, network infrastructure investments, customer care functionality, etc. –
can be shared across the value chain. Mobile TV partners typically would be required to make
investments only in those areas of the business that fit their core competencies.

Handset Design Considerations

In essence, a DVB-H handset would need to consist of two radio parts – one designed to receive one-
way broadcasts of IDPC content, and the other to provide two-way cellular services. The handset’s
display, memory, processing resources, and keyboard (or other user interfaces) would be common to
both DTV and telephony functions. Other design characteristics would include a compact omnidirectional
receiving antenna and a limited power supply.

Categorized as a Hand-Held Portable Convergence Terminal, the DVB-H handset would be designed to
be used indoors or outdoors at a minimum height of one meter above the floor or ground level. It would
be able to accommodate changes in receiving conditions, such as slow movement (e.g., walking), fast
movement (e.g., vehicle or mass transit) and the presence of large objects nearby. Receivers would be
designed to receive all channels of the UHF band IV, and at least up to channel 49 in band V –
accommodating frequencies from 470 MHz to 702 MHz. Frequencies above 706 MHz are excluded, to
avoid interference with GSM 850/900 cellular transmissions.

The handset would be used to host a number of applications – some stored locally, others interactive
and/or network-based. Certain special applications would be needed to use IPDC services and to
manage the reception of broadcast content. Inter-working at the application layer would handle the
integration required between broadcast and mobile services in the terminal device.

The Symbian operating system can provide a software platform and common execution environment for
the various applications required in a mobile DTV handset. The terminal’s architecture would also include
common middleware and protocols such as Java, XHTML, and RTP – providing many of the applications
commonly found on a smart phone (e.g., web browser, calendar, phone directory, messaging, etc.)

New mobile broadcast applications would be needed for a specific set of functions, such as service
discovery, for using the broadcast services and managing the selection, purchase, consumption and
storage of broadcasted content. Required hardware would include a DVB receiver and IP packet
decapsulator. From the transport stream, this IPDC hardware would extract and pass the IP packets on
to the Symbian IP stack as required. The hardware would also implement the time-slicing and error-
correction functionality that enhances the performance of DVB-H handsets.

Wireless operators would prefer to control mobile TV provisioning and security in a separate module, to
enable portability among devices and network roaming. This separate module would be provisioned with
access rights out of band, and would enable access to the key streams delivered within the DVB-H IP
packets.

The DVB-H handset would consist of three functional blocks and their associated control software:
antenna, radio frequency part, and base band part.

The antenna must be small (preferably integrated into the terminal itself) in order to meet the end-user’s
design expectations – and its design must anticipate that the user’s body could act as an absorber or
reflector of the DVB signal.

The RF part of the handset must be capable of tuning to the UHF frequencies described above, and must
meet other specifications for radio receiver performance (e.g., noise and channel models, signal input

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levels, interference tolerance, etc.) The output of the RF part is a base band OFDM signal (Orthogonal
Frequency Division Multiplexing) that is fed into the demodulator of the base band part of the receiver.

The base band part of the handset performs the demodulation of the DVB-H signal into an MPEG2
transport stream (TS); it buffers the time-slice bursts; and decodes the MPE-FEC error correction. After
that, IP packets belonging to the selected service are de-capsulated and forwarded to the application
software via the IP stack.

MPEG2 cells sent under certain Pid numbers (0 through 31) contain DVB-level Service Information (SI).
A specific part of the DVB-SI provides the IP address, under which the Electronic Service Guide (ESG) for
the particular IPDC service is transmitted to each available IPDC service. The ESG contains service
descriptors that tell the user what services or content items are available and when they are available.

When the user selects a particular IPDC service, the receiver determines which frequency or channel to
tune into. It also provides the ESG with its IP address. The receiver then continues forwarding the IP
packets of the chosen service to the application level.

The base band part must also take care of time slicing – handling the payload information as it is
transmitted in high bandwidth bursts. Between bursts, the whole receiver is shut down until the next burst
belonging to the chosen service is expected. If the payload is a stream, the burst is played back from
buffer memory during the time period between bursts. The length of the time interval between bursts is
contained in the DVB-level SI.

While the complexity of the base band part is significant, it is expected that engineering samples of DVB-
H chips will become available in 2005.

Conclusion: A Direct Path to Commercial Success in Mobile TV

Mobile digital broadcast TV combines the two best-selling consumer products in history—TVs and mobile
phones. As a result, mobile TV applications hold great promise as the next “killer app” for the wireless
industry – a way for network operators to achieve significant increases in average revenue per user; for
content providers to expand the audience for their programming; and for equipment makers to drive sales
of next-generation handsets.

Still, a variety of practical concerns will have an impact on the extent to which a marketplace develops for
mobile TV. These concerns include: allocation of spectrum; digital rights management and
business/revenue models; capital requirements/ infrastructure improvements; network impact (point-to-
point traffic); quality of service (viewing experience); handset cost; and handset performance/battery life,
to name a few.

From a standards perspective, the best solution is the one that balances all of these practical concerns. It
must be technically feasible, and more. It must appeal to all the participants in the value chain –
government regulators, network operators, content providers and advertisers, application developers,
equipment makers, and most importantly, viewers. The DVB-H standard certainly meets the “balance”
requirement.

As is the case with every other proposed network design for mobile TV, there are still technical
challenges to be resolved in the DVB-H format. However, a robust technology roadmap is in place today
to enhance an already-superior viewing experience on DVB-H handsets – and take advantage of their
industry-leading battery life performance. Similarly, the technology path is clear for the development of
DVB-H networks and infrastructure components, because they can draw on (and multiplex with) the DVB-
T technology and networks already in place in many markets worldwide.

Other promising mobile TV distribution technologies are being developed as well – and will demonstrate
their own advantages as distribution options. Once these technologies are published and become
commercially viable, they should also be carefully considered for deployment.

The opportunities in this newly created service category are considerable – precisely because it marries
the mass appeal of mobility with the mass appeal of television. The missing link in the development of a
vibrant market for mobile TV services is consensus among key players in the value chain. Broadcasters,
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content providers, cellular network operators and equipment manufacturers have a unique opportunity to
accelerate the launch of this promising (and potentially highly profitable) new class of services, by uniting
behind an open standard such as DVB-H. Mobile TV is coming to the U.S. marketplace – and ultimately,
the choice of standard will play a significant role in determining how quickly these applications develop,
and how large the market for such services becomes.

# # #

Acknowledgments
The mission of 3G Americas is to promote and facilitate the seamless deployment throughout the
Americas of GSM and its evolution to 3G and beyond. 3G Americas' Board of Governor members include
Andrew Corporation, Cable & Wireless (West Indies), Cingular Wireless (USA), Ericsson, Gemplus, HP,
Lucent Technologies, Motorola, Nokia, Nortel Networks, Openwave Systems, Research In Motion,
Rogers Wireless (Canada), Siemens, T-Mobile USA, Telcel (Mexico) and Texas Instruments. We would
like to recognize the significant project leadership and important contributions of Kush Parikh of Texas
Instruments as well as the other member companies from our 3G Americas Board of Governors.

Disclaimer
This 3G Americas Mobile TV white paper document ("the Document") is provided by 3G Americas, LLC
as an informational document and does not represent any solicitation or requirement for products and
services. Additionally, this 3G Americas Mobile TV white paper is not a standards development document
and does not represent any mandated requirements by individual 3G Americas Member companies nor
3G Americas LLC, but does provide educational information regarding Mobile TV technologies. 3G
Americas, LLC and its Member companies are not responsible for any reliance on any materials or
information provided or referenced in this Document. 3G Americas and its Member companies shall be
held harmless from any and all losses, damages, claims, expenses and liabilities of any kind including the
cost of litigation and reasonable attorneys’ fees, arising from, in connection with, or relating to this
Document.

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