In yet another blow to mobile TV using the DVB-H standard, Dutch operator KPN has decided to pull the plug out of its DVB-H Mobiel TV service from June, 1. KPN will use the freed up capacity for improvements to its Digitenne DTT platform.
In a statement the operator said that “DVB-H failed to become the worldwide standard for mobile TV. No new handsets that support this technology are coming to the market.”
Mobile TV by KPN was launched in June, 2008 with three models available, the Nokia N96, the Samsung P960 and the KB620 from LG. Although the operator never published any subscriber figures, KPN now said its current 20,000 DVB-H users will be informed of the termination of the service.
KPN also said that Mobiel TV by KPN had at one time 40,000 users, who viewed an average of nine minutes of live TV a day.
At launch, KPN set a monthly subscription fee of EUR 9.95, but in the beginning most subscriptions were given away for free with top-tier bundles. The Mobile TV bouquet offers 10 channels including the three public nets Nederland 1, 2 and 3, commercial channels RTL 4, SBS 6, DisneyXD/Veronica, MTV Music, Discovery Channel and Nicktoons. RTL also launched the all-news channel RTL24 and there is adult entertainment from Icemobile on the Adult XXX channel. Live football from Eredivisie Live was available as a premium option. Apparently not enough to attract sufficient numbers of viewers.
Digitenne will use the multiplex now being used for DVB-H for its Digitenne DTT service. Using three multiplexes on DVB-T, Digitenne by KPN offers 21 channels, most of them encrypted with the exception of the free to air offer of the three public national channels and one regional pubic broadcaster.
