Local broadcasters testing 3 mobile TV standards

Regardless of how mobile TV has performed to date, it looks like more and companies can’t wait to get involved. According to AP, the Open Mobile Video Coalition – a collection of owners of over 800 local TV stations – is testing three broadcast mobile TV standards.

The group will provide recommendations for a standard to standards body Advanced Television Systems Committee and hopes to have it approved by next February, when the US will switch off its analogue TV signal.

It looks like there could be a new trend in mobile TV broadcasting: both the Open Mobile Video Coalition and ICO Global Communications are launching mobile TV services but want to sell them as suitable for other devices, as well as mobiles, like in-car entertainment systems or laptops. By increasing its potential market beyond mobile devices, could this give mobile TV the push it needs for mass market take-up? Or is it a sign that purely mobile TV isn’t viable?