MiniTV to reach 120 million people

The International DMB Advancement Group (IDAG) has added another six broadcasters, bringing the count up to 13 members from 11 countries in Europe and Asia and increasing the so-called MiniTV coverage to potentially 120 million people.

MiniTV is the brand name for mobile TV services using the DMB standard. A service has already been launched in Norway, where six TV channels and 15 radio channels are broadcasting free-to-air. In The Netherlands, the Mobiele TV Nederland company has conducted test transmissions and will take up regular broadcasts next year.

The group met during IBC in Amsterdam and decided to accept six new members from five countries. IDAG is currently in talks with major handset manufacturers, mobile network operators and pay service technology vendors to enhance the current free-to-air services and expand the offerings.

MiniTV services launched by IDAG members will cover a population of more than 120 million people by the end of 2010, and a lot more when known plans in a number of countries are executed.

“The market is expanding at a very high speed as MiniTV helps prevent both viewers and broadcasters from self proclaimed gatekeepers and makes the services on offer as accessible and user friendly as possible. This approach is being appreciated by a steadily increasing number of broadcasters and operators” said Gunnar Garfors, president of IDAG, in a statement.

The current members of IDAG are: Asiaspace Digital Network (Malaysia); DigiBNetwork (Malta); Mobiele TV Nederland/MTVNL (The Netherlands); Norwegian Mobile TV Corporation/NMTV (Norway); Radio Telefis Eireann/RTE (Ireland); Radio Wroclaw (Poland); Rai Way (Italy); RTL (France); RTL 102,5 (Italy); Schweizer Radio/DRS (Switzerland);The Technology Partnership/TTP (Great Britain ); Vietnam Television/VTV (Vietnam); and World Family of Radio Maria (Italy).