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SA's first mobile TV service

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On 23 November MultiChoice South Africa, owner of the DStv bouquet of satellite pay-TV channels, launched South Africa’s first ever mobile TV service, as well as Drifta, a mini decoder that allows subscribers to access the service on iPads, iPhones, iPod Touch units, laptops and PCs. The launch of DStv Mobile TV has been a long time coming as MultiChoice first embarked on the mobile TV path in 2005. On 23 November MultiChoice South Africa, owner of the DStv bouquet of satellite pay-TV channels, launched South Africa’s first ever mobile TV service, as well as Drifta, a mini decoder that allows subscribers to access the service on iPads, iPhones, iPod Touch units, laptops and PCs.



The launch of DStv Mobile TV has been a long time coming as MultiChoice first embarked on the mobile TV path in 2005 and has run extensive trials since then. It was only in September this year that the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa issued the country’s first mobile broadcast frequency licence. Sixty percent of the spectrum in this technology-neutral licence was allocated to MultiChoice, with the remaining 40% allocated to free-to-air channel e.tv.

At the moment there are two mobile TV bouquets to choose from:  e.tv’s e-Mobile free service which includes the eNews channel and Channel O, and DStv Mobile TV’s subscription service, which offers four SuperSport channels, Africa Magic, Cartoon Network, the music channel Trace and a DStv Events Channel. More channels on both services will be announced soon.

MultiChoice has rolled out a mobile TV broadcast network based on the European standard, Digital Video Broadcast Handheld (DVB-H). This technology differs from the recently launched DStv Mobile streaming service that utilises the mobile network operators’ 3G networks. Picture resolution for the mobile TV service is 320 x 280 pixels.

The service requires DVB-H enabled mobile handsets such as the Nokia 5330, Nokia N96 and ZTE F900. Currently the service is available in Johannesburg, Pretoria, Soweto, CapeTown, Port Elizabeth, Polokwane, Mbombela, Rustenburg, Bloemfontein and Durban.

The mobile TV decoder, the Drifta, receives the DStv Mobile broadcast signal and relays it over WiFi to a range of WiFi-capable laptops, PCs, tablets and smartphones.

Speaking at the launch in Johannesburg, MultiChoice South Africa CEO Imtiaz Patel said that DStv’s mission is to surround subscribers with entertainment and to continue to experiment with new technology. “The product we are launching today will allow DStv subscribers to access our broadcasting services in a new and exciting way, either on mobile handsets or other devices like the iPad. MultiChoice constantly strives to enhance the customer experience.”

DStv Mobile TV South Africa GM Mark Rayner added that the company’s business was founded on the premise that watching TV is the world’s most popular leisure activity and that the mobile phone is the world’s favourite device.

“So we thought that TV and mobile phones should meet and hence the launch of our new service, which has already been rolled out in Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana and Namibia,” said Rayner.

Screen Africa asked Rayner if DStv Mobile TV would be commissioning local content specifically for the service. “It’s unlikely in the short term that we will do local content for mobile TV but we may do it for DStv’s streaming service. The research that we conducted during our mobile TV trials contradicts some of the oversees research we have seen that states that subscribers want to see short snippets of content on their phones. We trialed a movie channel on mobile and it proved really popular. Mobile TV users are most interested in sports, music and news.”

DStv Mobile TV’s head of Development Bradley Daniels noted that the service was designed in a way to keep the user experience simple. “The DVB-H enabled handset  has a mobile TV icon at the top and it includes a TV guide 24 hours in advance. You can change channels very easily. The mobile TV service is one click behind the home screen.

“Drifta plugs into a laptop via a USB port and leaves your Internet free. This application works with Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7. You can move the video image around on your computer screen. So the user experience is similar to Windows experience.”

The device can be purchased for R599 through www.dstvmobile.com . Because it is seen as a MultiChoice product subscribers are billed through MultiChoice. Subscribers who purchase mobile TV phones will be billed through mobile operators such as MTN, Vodacom, Cell C, or Autopage.

Rayner pointed out that there is a huge potential market for mobile TV in South Africa. “There are 35 million phones in the country and I hope soon that more phones will be DVB-H compliant. Early in 2011 we will launch Drifta applications for Backberry, Android and Series 16 Novka phones. We’re also looking at an app for Mac.”

Up until 31 March 2011, the DStv Mobile Service will be free to those who purchase of the Drifta or the mobile TV phones. Thereafter the subscription is R9 a week or R36 per month. DStv Premium and Compact subscribers will receive the Drifta free.