PLDT wireless subsidiary Smart Communications Inc. and Mediaquest subsidiary 360media recently launched the first commercial mobile TV service in the country, dubbed as myTV.
Well attended by the bigwigs of Smart Communications and 360media, the latest milestone for the TV viewing public was formally launched to the media at the NBC Tent at the Fort.
Designed for people on the go, Smart subscribers with mobile TV capable handsets such as the Nokia N92 unit can now enjoy their favorite TV programs for just P488 a month for both post-paid and prepaid subscribers (pre-paid will need to have a P489 load to activate) on top of the regular airtime plans.
myTV’s range of TV channels include the 24-hour news channel CNN, MTV Philippines, Cartoon Network, National Geographic Channel, Solar Sports, the History Channel, Pinoy Box Office, Basketball TV, ETC and Jack TV. Negotiations to air programs of ABS-CBN and GMA 7 are still ongoing.
Smart president and chief executive officer Napoleon Nazareno said “myTV is an important milestone, it is literally TV on the palm of your hands. It unchains Philippine television and sets it free.”
Nazareno added that myTV is a manifestation of how media and telecoms work together and deliver innovative services to the public.
360media president and chief executive officer Orlando Vea said although myTV will bring disruptive change to Philippine TV, the conventional TV will always be a fixture in homes.
“myTV is like the marriage of TV and cellphone. The service will stretch viewing time revolutionizing TV viewing just as the advent of cellphones changed telephony. Studies show we average nearly four hours a day watching television,” Vea said.
360media managing director for mobile TV Raymund Miranda said myTV has completely changed the paradigm, it is a substantial leap in a lifestyle perspective.
He said the current 10 channels offered is still the first phase and that more channels will be added later and that they might even consider co-producing their own content and create their own channels and air programs not available in cable TV.
Danilo Mojica, head of Smart’s wireless consumer division, said that for 2007, they have set an aggressive subscriber target of 70,000 adding that the technology paves way for people to enhance their lifestyles.
The service is being broadcast using the mobile TV platform called Digital Video Broadcasting – Handheld or DVB-H such as the N92, and the upcoming N77.
Initially, myTV can be viewed in Mega Manila (extending to North and South Luzon Expressway), Cebu, Davao,Tagaytay, Batangas, and Baguio City. Boracay and Cagayan de Oro will soon be covered.
“To give our subscribers an opportunity to try out the service, the service will be free until August 31,” said Mojica.
Service trials conducted by MediaQuest and Smart showed strong acceptance from the public citing features such as the flexibility, portability and clear audio/video qualities, as well as entertainment during long travels and while stuck in traffic.
myTV delivers content to many viewers simultaneously through a digital TV broadcast signal optimized for mobile devices – very much like the way conventional TV delivers a TV signal to homes.
It is not transmitted through the cellular network via video streaming and video-downloads services, which is currently offered through 3G cellular networks.
Latest report from research firm Informa Telecoms and Media forecasts has it that worldwide revenues from mobile TV and video services will rise from USD$2.46 billion in 2006 to USD$8.35 billion in 2011.
A study by IMS Research published in August 2006 says nearly half a billion people will be watching TV on their mobile phones by the end of 2011.