www.digitag.

org

Television on a
handheld receiver
T

- broadcasting with DVB-H

Digital Terrestrial Television Action Group

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Published by
DigiTAG - The Digital Terrestrial Television Action Group
17A Ancienne Route, CH-1218
Grand-Saconnex,
Geneva,
Switzerland.
Tel: +41 22 717 2735
Fax: +41 22 747 4735
www.digitag.org

© copyright 2005 DigiTAG

all rights reserved
Version 1.2

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Introduction
Over the last ten years digital technology has encouraged a rapid growth in the personal
consumption of media. The advent of personal video recorders (PVRs), video-on-demand
and the multiplication of programme offerings have enabled viewers to personalise the content
that they want to watch. And with interactivity, viewers can directly express their preferences
to broadcasters.

As part of this trend, and alongside the growth of mobile telephony, new technologies have
been developed that enable viewers to watch streamed television-like services on their mobile
telephone. The place of viewing is no longer limited to the television receiver at home, or in a
vehicle, but is widened to allow personalised viewing of television by individuals wherever
they are located.

The development of the Digital Video Broadcasting to a Handheld (DVB-H) standard makes it
possible to deliver live broadcast television to a mobile handheld device. Building upon the
strengths of the Digital Video Broadcasting - Terrestrial (DVB-T) standard in use in millions of
homes, DVB-H recognises the trend towards the personal consumption of media.

Already, DVB-H has created much excitement. Articles in the media herald personal television
on the move as a “killer application.” But because DVB-H receivers can and often will combine
the functionalities of a mobile phone and a television, the concept has also raised fears. Who
will “own” the new service offering? Is DVB-H a broadcast service, a mobile phone service, or
a mixture of the two? What are the potential business models that will allow service providers
to cooperate to build new services and markets together seamlessly?

The purpose of this DigiTAG handbook is to provide an overview of broadcast television

services to a handheld device using the DVB-H standard. Addressing the key commercial,
technical and regulatory issues, this handbook seeks to inform members in the DVB-H value
chain and regulatory domain about the new technology. So informed, they will be in a stronger,
more enlightened position to define their strategy towards DVB-H, and help to grow the
market for handheld television.

SECTION

Broadcasting to Handheld Devices

The deployment of digital terrestrial television services
National governments are beginning to prepare for an all-digital broadcast environment. As
plans are made to end conventional analogue television services, broadcasters can exploit
the capacity and flexibility offered by digital systems. For example, broadcasters can provide
quality improvements, such as High-Definition television (HDTV), offer many more interactive
features, and permit robust reception to receivers on the move in vehicles and portable
handhelds.

Several digital terrestrial television standards exist. The Advanced Television System
Committee (ATSC) standard provides HDTV services with fixed antenna reception although
it does not allow for mobile or portable television reception. This standard is currently used in
North America and South Korea. The Integrated Services Digital broadcasting (ISDB-T)

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standard developed and adopted in Japan provides audio, video and multimedia services for
the terrestrial television network including mobile reception and HDTV.

In Europe, the initial foray into digital broadcasting focused on the development of a standard
to provide for portable and roof-top antenna reception. The Digital Video Broadcast standard
for terrestrial television (DVB-T) has proven effective in meeting much more than its initial
requirement. For example, DVB-T has been used to provide television services in public
transportation, as is the case in Singapore and Taiwan, and recent receiver developments
make its use possible in cars and in high speed trains. DVB-T has been adopted in Australia
to provide HDTV, and in Europe and Asia to provide multi-channel standard definition television.

Television to a handheld receiver

The concept of providing television-like services on a handheld device has generated much
enthusiasm. Already, mobile telecom operators are providing video streaming services using
their UMTS networks, or third-generation networks. However, the main alternatives to providing
live television services on a handheld device currently available are DMB, ISDB-T, MediaFLO
and now DVB-H.

Digital Multimedia Broadcast (DMB) delivers mobile television services using the Eureka-147
Digital Audio Broadcast (DAB) standard with additional error-correction. T-DMB uses the
terrestrial network in Band III and/or Band L while S-DMB uses the satellite network in Band
L. While the first convergent mobile phone DMB products developed made use of satellite
frequency, LG Electronics presented the first T-DMB receiver with a mobile phone in November
2004. S-DMB services were commercially launched in May 2005 and a commercial launch of T-
DMB services is expected in 2006.

Integrated Services Digital Broadcasting (ISDB-T), developed by Japan as its digital terrestrial
television standard, provides some modes which are suitable for broadcasting for handheld
reception. As part of its original digital television strategy, the government has allocated 1/
13th of the digital television transmission network for mobile broadcasting to portable and
handheld devices. The services are expected to be launched in 2006.

MediaFLO is a proprietary system developed by Qualcomm to deliver broadcast services to

handheld receivers using OFDM. Qualcomm intends to roll-out these services in the 700 MHz
frequency band in the United States since it holds a license in this part of the spectrum.

DVB approach to handheld television: DVB-H

Building upon the portable and mobile capabilities of DVB-T, the DVB Project developed the
Digital Video Broadcasting on Handhelds (DVB-H) standard for the delivery of audio and
video content to mobile handheld devices. DVB-H overcomes two key limitations of the DVB-
T standard when used for handheld devices - it lowers battery power consumption and
improves robustness in the very difficult reception environments of indoor and outdoor
portable use in devices with built-in antennas. DVB-H can be used alongside mobile telephone
technology and thus benefit from access to a mobile telecom network and a broadcast network.

DVB-H Pilot Projects

Several pilot projects and commercial launches that provide live television broadcast services
are currently underway or in development in many parts of the world.

Australia
In Sydney, Australia, a year-long DVB-H trial commenced in July 2005. While first
measuring service coverage, the trial will be expanded to include a commercial component
with approximately 1000 users. Partners include network operator Bridge Networks, mobile
operator Telstra and Nokia.

North America
Network operator Crown Castle has deployed a DVB-H pilot using a 5 MHz channel of L-band
spectrum in Pittsburgh, the United States. While DVB-H was developed as the handheld
reception solution for DVB-T networks, the use of DVB-H in the United States demonstrates
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that countries using the ATSC system for high-definition television to stationary receivers
are interested in DVB-H to provide mobility to portable and handheld devices.

Europe
The Broadcast Mobile Convergence (bmco) project conducted the first live broadcast of
DVB-H services on 4 May 2004 in Berlin, Germany. Comprised of Nokia, Philips, Universal
Studios Networks Germany and Vodafone Pilotentwicklung, bmco tested DVB-H services
within a public, digital terrestrial television network.

In the Netherlands, the first DVB-H trial, supported by Nokia and Nozema Services, took place
during the IBC 2004 Exhibition. In July 2005, a second trial was launched in The Hague with
several hundred “friendly” users. This trial includes the city centre as well as some major
motorways and railway lines leading to The Hague so as to test the mobility of DVB-H. Trial
partners include Digitenne, KPN, Nokia and Nozema Services.

In Helsinki, Finland, Finnish Mobile TV launched the first commercial pilot for DVB-H services
from March to June 2005. As part of the pilot, 500 test users accessed television services on
Nokia 7710 receivers. Project partners include Nokia for the technology, the main private and
public television broadcasters for the content, the two main telecom operators and Digita, the
main broadcast network operator for the network. In August 2005, a similar trial was held
during the IAAF World Championships in Athletics.

In Berne, Switzerland, Swisscom launched a technical trial of DVB-H services in January 2005.
A commercial trial is expected to begin in Autumn 2005.

In Cannes, France, network operator TDF led two DVB-H trials in early 2005. TDF demonstrated
DVB-H services in February for the 3GSM Congress and in April for the MIP-TV conference.
Nokia supplied the service system and receivers for these demos. More extensive trials are
expected to begin in the region of Paris in Autumn 2005.

In Oxford, United Kingdom, a commercial pilot will supply 350 test users with Nokia DVB-H
receivers with telephone functionalities. Project partners include Arqiva, O2, Nokia and Sony
Semiconductors & Electronic Solutions.

In Spain, the government has approved DVB-H pilot projects that will take place in Barcelona
and Madrid from September 2005 to February 2006. Approximately 500 users will access DVB-
H services using a Nokia 7710 receiver. Partners include the network operator Abertis, Nokia
and Telefonica Moviles.

In Denmark, a technical DVB-H trial is expected to be launched. Coordinated by the University

of Denmark, partners include Nokia and Motorola for the DVB-H receivers, TDC for telephone
services and public broadcaster DR for broadcast services.

SECTION

DVB-H value chain

Viewers
DVB-H enables viewers to watch television programmes on a handheld device. Such handheld
televisions are likely to be considered personal items as the act of viewing increasingly
becomes an individual, rather than a social, activity. Services can be accessed when viewers
are “on the move” - in public transportation, waiting for an appointment or while at work.
Hence, handheld viewing will extend the hours of television watching to parts of the day
when viewers are not at home.

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While it may be less likely that viewers will use their handheld television when they can
benefit from a larger television, this may not always hold true. Viewers may be tempted to
continue watching television on their handheld device should this provide access to different
viewing experiences or extra functionality. Viewers may also choose to continue using their
handheld television to individually interact or zap programmes services, while simultaneously
watching a television programme with others on a larger television.

From a viewer’s perspective, television services from a handheld device have an instant
appeal and have generated much interest.

Broadcasters
With their experience in creating and aggregating content, broadcasters have a privileged role
in delivering content for television services to a handheld device. In Japan, broadcasters
have driven the launch of handheld television services.

However, broadcasters will need to define the level of their involvement in the DVB-H service
offering. For example, will broadcasters manage the end-relationship with viewers or prefer to
delegate this role to another party? And, if the second option is preferred, will broadcasters
accept the packaging of their content in a third-party offer?

Broadcasters may not be alone in providing services. It is possible that other players, such as
mobile phone operators, may by-pass broadcasters in the delivery of television services to a
handheld device. At this stage, however, broadcasters are in a strong position since DVB-H
is a new broadcast service offering that uses the broadcast spectrum to deliver broadcast
services to a new type of television receiver.

Mobile telecom operators

Should mobile telecom operators be willing to integrate their mobile telephones with a DVB-
H receiver, broadcasters may benefit from this partnership. Mobile telecom operators have
access to a large customer database and a sophisticated payment system which can be used
for customer billing. Because many consumers view mobile telephones as “trendy” devices
and willingly change them every few years to benefit from new features or fashion, a service
delivered via a combined TV/mobile phone may have a great potential for success. Mobile
operators have already installed a dense networks of cellular transmitter sites which may be
helpful to use for the roll-out of DVB-H services.

But incorporating a mobile phone into a DVB-H receiver means that mobile telecom operators
will have a crucial role in the delivery of broadcast services. One can question whether mobile
telecom operators will want to integrate a broadcast television receiver on their handheld
telephones since this may lead to a reduction in the amount of telecommunication messages
sent as consumers may be encouraged to become passive television viewers. However, there
is a growing belief that broadcast programmes can be used to encourage viewers to consume
telecom services such as tele-voting or visiting a dedicated website.

Broadcast Network Operators

Broadcast network operators have been among the key drivers in the development of the
DVB-H standard. This is not surprising given the potential benefits to be derived from the use
of their networks.

Broadcast network operators have access to network infrastructures that can support DVB-
H. Many of the broadcast networks have been built to provide portable indoor coverage of
DVB-T services, the same type of coverage required to support DVB-H services. This means
that much of the infrastructure is already in place although some extra investment will be
needed in order to allow for reception in more challenging locations. And unlike other network
operators, broadcast network operators already use the high tower masts needed for the
primary coverage of DVB-H services.

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In addition, the broadcast network operator is well suited to serve as the intermediary between
the various service providers. Given the limited spectrum resources available, it is likely that
only one multiplex will be dedicated to DVB-H services when these services are initially
launched. As a consequence, service providers will need to share the available capacity and
may prefer to rely upon an independent operator to manage the network.

Manufacturers
Manufacturers of consumer devices and professional system components have actively
supported the launch of DVB-H services. Some manufacturers have indicated that they can
make DVB-H receivers available by 2006.

The DVB-H prototype chips currently measured have already reached a satisfactory
performance level and are expected to be mass produced by late 2005. Because a DVB-H chip
(tuner plus demodulator) will likely be priced at under 10 Euros in mass production, the extra
cost for including DVB-H services in a multifunctional mobile phone will be marginal compared
to the total cost of the terminal.

Enablers
Various groups have been working to promote DVB-H and other mobile technologies based
upon the DVB-T standard.

bmco forum (pan European)

Originally set up to trial DVB-H services in Berlin, the bmco forum has expanded its scope
and aims to contribute to the development of mobile broadcast technologies. www.bmco-
berlin.com

The IPDC Forum (pan European)

Officially formed in January 2002, the IPDC Forum is an independent non-profit organization
which aims to contribute to the development of multimedia services delivered via broadcasting
networks. www.ipdc-forum.org

Finnish Mobile TV (Finland)

The Finnish Mobile TV has supported several DVB-H trials in Finland. It launched the first
DVB-H commercial trial in March 2005. www.finnishmobiletv.com

Go Mobile (Germany)
The Deutsche TV Platform has set up a specialized working group to address the handheld
and mobile broadcasting market.

Mobile Applications Group (United Kingdom)

The Mobile TV Applications Group, a working group of the Digital TV Group (DTG), examines
mobile television services. They recently published the Handbook of Mobile TV Applications,
a comprehensive survey of all mobile television applications. www.dtg.org.uk

Mobile TV Forum (France)

In November 2004, the French Minister of Industry launched the Mobile TV Forum with the
support of 50 French companies from diverse industries, including broadcasters, mobile telecom
operators, broadcast network operators and manufacturers. The group aims to work together
to promote “television on-the-go”.

Research projects
DVB-H is supported by the European Commission through a number of European collaborative
projects, including Cismundus, Instinct, Daidalos, Enthrone and Wing TV.

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SECTION

Implications for broadcasters

New opportunities
The role of broadcasters is changing as a consequence of the move towards an all-digital
broadcasting environment. With the arrival of new delivery methods for viewing audiovisual
material, such as the Internet, personal video recorders (PVRs) and handheld devices,
broadcasters can offer their audience access to programme services and archived material
through any, and all, of these methods. Increasingly, broadcasters are choosing to become
delivery-method agnostic and re-focusing their role on being content providers and
aggregators.

Taking the BBC as an example, it has declared in its vision for the future Building public
value that it ‘will use the best of the new digital technologies to make its content more
personal, more convenient and more relevant ... using the internet, mobile technology,
broadband and interactivity, the BBC will be a pioneer and innovator, combining old and new
media to offer a range of new services.” The BBC’s vision is clearly that mobile technology
will have a significant place alongside internet, broadband and interactivity to provide new
services.

Handheld television services enable broadcasters to reach their audience regardless of where
viewers are located. Watching television will no longer be limited to the home, the conventional
location for television consumption. Rather broadcasters can remain in contact with their
audience throughout the day.

Depending on the time of day, broadcasters may find new audiences eager to consume
television especially created to fit the moment and situation. Be it current topical material,
programmes targeting viewers in movement, or a small screen simulcast version of the main
programme services, broadcasters will be able to use handheld television to keep in touch
with their audience, maintain service loyalty and inform, advertise and build up to the
mainstream offering for the home television.

Television services integrated into a mobile telephone facilitate easy viewer interaction and
enable sophisticated television programmes. While interactivity may be as simple as SMS
voting in a first phase, it could later lead to the development of fully interactive programme
formats which could, in turn, help generate revenue. Such services are key for telecom
operators since they may otherwise risk losing revenue due to a reduction in normal call
traffic when the user watches television.

Content
Not all existing television content is suitable for watching on a handheld device. Nevertheless
live simulcasting of the existing linear TV-channels could be relatively simple to achieve,
very attractive and easy to market. However, much handheld television consumption will be
in snatched moments, or in idle times between other activities. As such, conventional
schedules based on hour and half hour segments will not be well suited to these moments.
Rather, the format of the content watched from a handheld television will likely consist of
short and easy to understand sequences.

Live news, sports, weather, music and cartoons clips have emerged as the types of programmes
preferred by viewers. The tie in with programmes watched later at home is an obvious benefit
for broadcasters. But because new services can stimulate new viewing behaviour, it may be
premature to draw conclusions. In fact only tangible experience will demonstrate what viewers
will want to watch from a handheld television.

Screen-size
Handheld screen sizes will resemble those of mobile phones and personal digital assistants
(PDAs). They are likely to vary from approximately 5 cm to 12 cm diagonal with a very sharp
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pixel resolution. Early DVB-H tests of normal TV recoded to around 200kbit/s for display at
CIF resolution (352 x 288) offered an enjoyable viewing experience and even permitted the
reading of normally sized captions.

While the simplicity of such direct recoding is attractive, some types of traditional television
programmes risk losing out in usability. This is the case with sports such as football and ice-
hockey. However, with minor editorial intervention, broadcasters can select a window within
the normal broadcast image to capture the part for display on the handheld terminal screen.
By this means, the action in a football match follows the ball, the players in contact with the
ball and the goal mouth. By cropping unnecessary details such as the grass, spectators and
other players, broadcasters can zoom in on the action, all of which is extracted from the
conventional television picture.

Cyclical presentations
As a low-cost alternative, broadcasters can re-purpose material for a repeated cyclical
presentation. Appropriate material can be edited to the desired length and suitably-sized title
and closing elements added. The material is then loaded into a carousel for repeated
transmission. Some broadcasters have already begun building experience in the use of cyclical
carousel presentation of material over enhanced broadcasting channels.

Interactivity
DVB-H television services can benefit from an interaction channel. Although interactivity has
not yet been fully exploited for traditional television market, it may be facilitated through the
adoption of DVB-H services since a personal device may be more conducive to such activity
rather than a shared television set. Interactivity can be used to allow viewer voting, much like
the phone call and SMS voting during such programmes as Pop Idol, or even allow viewers to
participate in game shows alongside the televised contestants using, for example, built-in
digital cameras.

Local guide services can provide viewers with information on a city or region, such as weather
forecasts, film trailers and a teletext guide. With an interactive channel, viewers can request
specific information. However, because of a standard middleware interface is currently lacking,
some futher development is necessary before viewers are able to trigger interactive services
directly from the broadcast system.

Current content on UMTS telecom networks

Although it is difficult to compare the service offering available from the UMTS networks
while at the early stages of their roll-out, it is useful to understand some of the content
currently available. Types of content which have had popularity with users include football
video downloads, footage from reality television programmes and comedy clips

In one example, Vodafone in Germany provided its users with access to a complete feature
film, Was Sie schon immer über Singles wissen wollten, the day before RTL broadcast the film
on television. In the United States, Fox has recently made a one minute “mobisodes” of its hit
television show 24 available for the Verizon mobile networks. A scaled down version of the
show is also available.

Early information from the mobile phone market suggests that users are more likely to pay
UMTS call charges for entertainment rather than for information. However, broadcasters can
benefit from their well-known and respected reputation and use this to leverage their information
services.

Content such as news bulletins, news alerts (video version of SMS news alert), sports
highlights, weather forecasts and financial information are likely to have lasting appeal. But
with very little practical experience of handheld terminal consumption patterns to draw upon
it is still early to speculate as to what viewers using such devices will ultimately find compelling
to watch.

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SECTION

DVB-H business models

The market for handheld television services
Viewers have indicated their interest in watching television from a handheld device. A number
of studies conducted throughout Europe confirm this. In one of these, the IPDC Forum
commissioned a market study of the United Kingdom, Finland and Sweden in September 2003.
The study showed that between 40-60% of mobile phone users are interested in receiving TV
on their mobile phone and willing to pay up to 10 Euros per month for the service.

Figure 1: from IPDC Forum / HPI Research

The results of a study by the bmco project showed that 77.8% of respondents felt that having
television on their mobile telephone was a good or excellent idea. These studies suggest that
the market for television on a handheld will be quite large. The target audience numbers are
even larger when considering that viewers are counted in individuals and not in households,
as with traditional television viewing.

Broadcaster business incentives

While several incentives for service providers exist, they will depend on the players involved
and the business model adopted.

New markets
Television on a handheld receiver will trigger different viewing habits when compared to
traditional television. Viewers will be able to watch television outside of the traditional peak-
hours, most likely in short slots of time. Thus, broadcasters will be better able to reach their
evening peak time viewing audience at other times of the day

Revenue from subscription fees

Viewer payment for access to handheld television services can be handled either via a monthly
subscription fee or a charge for each use like a pay-as-you-go formula. Market studies have
shown that viewers prefer a subscription fee. In the bmco study, viewers indicated a willingness
to pay between 8-12 Euros per month to access 6-8 different television programme channels.

With a subscription service, income will be generated based on the total number of subscribers.
Considering that Vodafone currently has over 150 million customers worldwide, the potential
subscribers base is quite large. In the United States alone, it is estimated that users will spend
$30 billion annually on mobile television services.

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Increased advertising revenue
Advertising budgets are increasingly being spent on advertisements in new media, such as
the Internet. This means that advertising funds are being diverted from traditional media.
DVB-H services provide a new advertisement opportunity in an appealing new media format.
While providing advertisers with a new forum to market their goods and services it also
enables broadcasters to increase their advertisement revenue.

With a return channel, advertising can be tailored for its intended audience. Advertisers will
be able to locate the user, better understand user behaviour and benefit from viewer interaction.
With user identification, personalised advertisement and micro-segmentation also becomes
possible. Not only will this be advantageous for advertisers, but also permit broadcasters to
receive higher tariffs for air-time.

Possible business models

In the case of providing DVB-H services, the following issues will need to be addressed:

· What kinds of services are offered to consumers?

· Who manages the end-relationship with consumers and who can market the service
offering?
· What billing mechanism - if any - will be used to provide income? What other sources
of income are applicable (i.e. public license fee, advertisement)?
· Who has access to the necessary DVB-H resources (i.e. spectrum, networks, etc)?
· Who can develop and deliver appealing content?
· What are the investment capabilities of each organisation?
· What synergies are possible within existing business activities?

The issue of managing consumer relationships is fundamental. Both broadcasters and telecom
operators have long and successful relationships with their respective viewers and customers,
but may have initial difficulties in finding a business model where they must cooperate. DVB-
H services could be offered as a “stand-alone” service, with no associated telecommunication
possibilities, but this would require a new ‘horizontal’ receiver market be established.

Alternatively, mobile telecom operators could take the leading role by aggregating the content,
encrypting the programmes, offering the service and maintaining the networks, and marketing
television as an extra feature of their handsets.
Telecom operators must recognize the proven capability of broadcasters to define attractive
service bouquets that meet the demands of the viewing audience. Based on long experience,
broadcasters have been able to successfully combine a variety of content into appealing
packages. Viewers value and trust broadcaster brands. Bringing these powerful brands to a
new platform provides a strong advantage.

Broadcasters, on the other hand, must recognize that telecom operators have developed a
large existing customer base which they may easily convert to mobile television using their
impressive marketing skills. A pattern of subsidising user terminals against future subscription
income is well established. Without the mobile telecom operators, it may be difficult to attain
high user penetration of DVB-H-enabled receivers.

The next few paragraphs describe a variety of possible business models. The business models
presented are neither all-inclusive nor exhaustive but can be used as examples.

The most simple model of a horizontal market for a handheld incorporating only a DVB-H
receiver is not included since this would only develop some time from now when handheld
receivers become available at gadget prices.

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Model 1: Broadcaster-led approach with mobile telecom operator
In this model, broadcasters manage the end-relationship with the consumer. The broadcaster
receives payments for the use of the service, from consumers from the license fee, or
subscription, or through payments made via the telecoms network operator. A variation on
this could be broadcast funding from advertising revenue. As this is not an integrated
service proposal, consumers may need to pay more than one service provider to obtain the
different services. Fully interactive services are a possibility and a separate billing procedure
will be necessary for consumers to pay mobile telecom operators for the use of such services.

Service Advertisers
Flow

Payment
Flow

Broadcast
Content
Broadcasters Network
Creators End User
Operator

Cellular
Network
Operator

The involvement of the mobile telecom operator may be limited except for linked telecom
services. Given the expected initial high cost of DVB-H receivers, market penetration may be
low if no receiver subsidies are offered.

Model 2: Mobile telecom operator-led approach with broadcaster

In this model, mobile telecom operators manage the end-relationship with consumers and are
responsible for service provisions, marketing and customer care. In addition, mobile telecom
operators will need to purchase spectrum and content from broadcasters and other content
providers. Consumers have access to an integrated service proposition which means that a
complete package will be offered by one service provider.

Advertisers

Broadcast
Content Aggregator/
Network
Creators Packager
Operator

Cellular Cellular End User

Service Network
Provider Operator

As a variation, mobile telecom operators could directly handle advertisements. While mobile
telecom operators would be responsible for general marketing, it could be possible for
broadcasters to market individual television programmes. For programmes that generate

12
revenue, for example using tele-voting, broadcasters would be responsible for marketing the
programme while the mobile telecom operator would be responsible for the billing. Revenue
would be shared.

Model 3: Independent DVB-H service provider approach

In this model, the mobile telecom operator manages the end-relationship with consumers and
is responsible for service provisions, marketing and customer care. A dedicated DVB-H
service provider acts as a facilitator for mobile operators in the aggregation of content and
the use of the spectrum. Consumers have access to an integrated service proposition which
means that a complete package will be offered by one service provider.

Advertisers

Broadcast DVB-H
Content Aggregator/
Network Service
Creators Packager
Operator Provider End User

Cellular Cellular
Service Network
Provider Operator

Variations in this model would include the handling of advertisements directly by the DVB-
H service provider.

Model 4: Mobile telecom operator-led approach

In this model, the mobile telecom operator is responsible for all aspects of the value chain,
from the content creator to the consumer. Broadcasters, or broadcast network operators,
provide simply the DVB-H transport capacity. Consumers have access to an integrated service
proposition which means that a complete package will be offered by the one service provider.
Such a model gives telecom operators a dominant role, with very little involvement from the
broadcasting side.

Advertisers

Cellular Cellular
Content
Service Network
Creators End User
Provider Operator

Broadcast
Network
Operator

13
SECTION

Technical aspects of DVB-H

Principles of the DVB-H system
Building upon the principles of the DVB-T standard, the DVB-H standard adds functional elements
necessary for the requirements of the mobile handheld reception environment.

Both DVB-H and DVB-T use the same physical layer and DVB-H can be backwards compatible with
DVB-T. Like DVB-T, DVB-H can carry the same MPEG-2 transport stream and use the same transmitter
and OFDM modulators for its signal. Up to 50 television programmes targeted for handheld devices
can be transmitted in a single multiplex or the capacity of a multiplex can be shared between DVB-T
and DVB-H.

However, given the requirements for each system, DVB-H provides additional support for mobile
handheld reception. This includes battery saving through time-slicing and increased general
robustness and improved error resilience compared to DVB-T using MPE-FEC. In addition, DVB-H
broadcasts sound, picture and other data using Internet Protocol (IP).

Time-Slicing
As with any handheld device, battery life is critically important. Users prefer operating for the whole
day or, preferably, several days without needing to recharge their device. In order to reduce the
amount of power consumed by a handheld device, DVB-H uses time-slicing.

Time-slicing means that the data representing a particular service is delivered to the handheld device
in bursts at given intervals of time. Video and audio data (1-2 Mbits), generally representing between
1-5 seconds of the content arrives in the single burst. When the receiver is not receiving the wanted
burst of data, the tuner contained in the handheld device is “inactive” and therefore using less
power. The user, however, does not notice the period of receiver activity or inactivity since the data
bursts are stored in the receiver memory and played out continuously. Time-slicing could allow for
up to a 95% reduction in power consumption compared to conventional and continuously operating
DVB-T tuners. Of course, power is consumed continually by other parts of the receiver notably the
video and audio decoders and the display.

Note that while the receiver is “inactive” for periods of time, the broadcasting transmitter remains
active at all times, sending a series of time-slice bursts for each service in sequence. In addition time-
sliced and non time-sliced services can be placed in the same multiplex.

MPE-FEC(Multi-Protocol Encapsulation/Forward Error Correction)

Because handheld devices have small antennas that require reception from many different locations,
they necessitate a robust transmission system with solid error protection.

To better match the handheld environment, DVB-H offers improved transmission robustness through
the use of an additional level of forward error correction (FEC) at the Multi Protocol Encapsulation
(MPE) layer. The use of MPE-FEC is optional.

IPDC (Internet Protocol DataCasting)

With IP Datacast, content is delivered in the form of data packets using the same distribution technique
as used for delivering digital content on the Internet. The use of Internet Protocol to carry its data, in
so-called IP packets, allows DVB-H to rely upon standard components and protocols for content
manipulation, storage and transmission.

In addition to video and audio stream broadcasting, IP Datacast over DVB-H system can be used
also for file delivery.

14
Overview of the system
One approach to constructing a total end-to-end DVB-H system making use of a mobile telecoms
network for the subscription billing is shown below.

Interfaces Broadcast Network Operator

Broadcast
DVB-T
Content Multiplexer
Transmitter
Provider

Mobile
Cooperation Platform
Terminal

Internet Cellular
Core
Service Network
Network
Provider Base Station

Mobile Phone Operator

Figure 2: System architecture for collaboration between mobile and broadcast operators

Optional characteristics
Broadcast services can be delivered by DVB-H without the need for an interaction channel, or
in the configuration shown, an interaction channel can easily be provided by the use of a
cellular network such as the GSM network. Methods of providing payment for services can be
built upon a proprietary encryption and payment solution or in conjunction with the telecoms
network’s inherent service statistics collection and billing functions. The DVB Project has
been elaborating these options in the Convergent Mobile and Broadcast Services (CMBS)
group.

Network architecture
While the DVB-T network is intended primarily for roof top antenna reception, a DVB-H
network will be designed for portable reception available even inside buildings. Hence it will
need a much higher signal power density. In order to reach the higher power density needed
for mobile coverage levels, several network architectures can be used depending on available
frequencies, allowed maximum transmitter powers and antenna heights. The following network
scenarios are possible:

· Existing DVB-T network with indoor coverage and DVB-H within the same multiplex,
· DVB-T and DVB-H using hierarchical transmission in the same radio frequency channel
with DVB-H on the high-priority stream, or
· A DVB-H only network (which can then make use the optional 4K mode if needed).

DVB-H can use both Single Frequency Networks (SFN) and Multiple Frequency Networks
(MFN) topologies.

15
One main transmitter and several repeaters
The simplest network architecture is one that uses a main transmitter with several repeater
transmitters to boost the signal level at the edges of the cell. These repeaters may be necessary
when it is not possible to have a high tower for the main transmitter or to fill-in shadows in the
reception pattern.

A repeater is a special high gain antenna amplifier that takes the input signal via a receiving
antenna, amplifies it and connects the signal to a transmitter antenna. This kind of network
topology (essentially circular in shape) may not be very practical and experience shows that
several transmitters may be required, each extended by some repeaters, to encompass the
entire coverage area required.

repeaters

repeaters

IPE IPE

Rural DVB-H cell: DVB-H Single Frequency Network:

1 Transmitter + 10…20 repeaters 3…6 Transmitters + 10…20 repeaters

Figure 3: Possible network topology solutions for DVB-H

Single Frequency Network (SFN)

An efficient network for DVB-H reception can be built by using several transmitters on the
same frequency. A large area of up to 60 kilometres can be covered without needing high
transmitter towers. The identical signals are transmitted from several sites and the system
behaviour is similar to that of a distributed transmitter. The DVB-H main transmitters must be
accurately synchronized, most easily with time signals received from GPS satellites. Repeaters
can be used to improve coverage on critical areas where indoor or car reception performance
has been found to be insufficient. This kind of network structure is sometimes known as a
Dense SFN network.

Nation-wide coverage
When nationwide coverage is required, over distances of hundreds of kilometres, several
radio frequency channels will be needed. The availability of channels differs very much from
one country to another. In theory, three channels should be sufficient to provide continuous
coverage with any area. However, practical network planning shows that 5-6 channels are
actually needed. By using different channels in neighbouring areas gives the possibility also
to run local content in each area. This may be important with DVB-H where local content is
expected to have an important role.

Finalization of the DVB-H standard

The physical layer of the DVB-H standard has been approved by the European
Telecommunication Standards Institute (ETSI) since December 2004. As a next stage, the IP
Datacasting systems level in being finalized by the DVB Project before submission to ETSI.

Some DVB-H receivers may be embedded within a mobile telephone receivers. However, not
all devices, such as in-car receivers and pocket receivers, will have an interaction channel.
Therefore, the access control mechanism specified by DVB cannot solely rely on a return
path. In some cases it may be necessary to encrypt the services, so that operators can charge

16
users for the access and consumption of handheld television services. To enable end-to-end
systems, the encryption could be implemented on IP and allow only authenticated users to
access, receive and consume the service.

The DVB CBMS (Convergence of Broadcasting and Mobile Services) working group is
responsible for specifying the video and audio formats, the Electronic Service Guide, and
content protection aspects of the DVB-H standard.

Two approaches are currently under consideration for Service Provision and Protection (SPP)
broadly emanating from the broadcast and mobile areas respectively.

· The use of a common standard scrambling method at the content level (e.g.
ISMAcryp) combined with a Digital Rights Management system, either using a
proprietary or open standard, and,
· The use of open encryption standards (i.e. IPsec) and a single Digital Rights
Management solution based on an open standard (i.e. OMA DRM 2.0).

The DVB Project may decide in favour of one of these two alternatives, or may decide to
specify both for use in different environments and for specific applications.

SECTION

Regulatory issues - The need for spectrum

Broadcast frequency spectrum is administered by national radiocommunications agencies in
alignment with international agreements at the International Telecommunications Union (ITU).
The ITU is presently part way through the process of developing a new frequency plan for
Europe, Africa and the Middle East for the all-digital future.

The planning rules used to determine the share of spectrum allocated to each country are
based on the characteristics of DVB-T as a reference and apply three possible reception
scenarios: fixed roof-top antennas, outdoor portable reception and indoor portable reception.
National administrations have submitted their service requirements for the initial planning
studies carried out in 2005. The planning process should be completed in the final session of
the Regional Radiocommunications Conference (RRC-06) in the summer of 2006. The
expectation is that it will be very difficult, if not impossible, to meet all of the national
requirements for DVB-T services in the RRC-06 plan.

DVB-H has not been taken into consideration given that it was not standardised until after the
start of the RRC process. Clearly since DVB-H is based on the DVB-T physical layer, it should
be possible to introduce DVB-H services into the frequency bands where DVB-T allocations
are given. However the topology of DVB-H network and the signal strengths required for
handheld terminals are different from DVB-T, therefore proposing such services will require
adhering to the obligations of the RRC-06 plan for protection of other services. Any spectrum
assigned to a DVB-H network will reduce the spectrum available for DVB-T networks and
national regulators will need to decide which operators are given access to the spectrum.

Currently, the most pragmatic approach in a situation where a national administration anticipates
a possible wish for a DVB-H network would be for it to submit service requirements for indoor
portable reception of DVB-T as the nearest match to the signal conditions required for DVB-

17
H services. However, the IPDC Forum and other groups are undertaking activities in order to
improve the situation in the context of the RRC.

The preference for exclusively DVB-H multiplexes

Mobile handheld receivers have much smaller antennas than those used for fixed or portable
television. In addition, mobile handheld receivers must be able to receive a signal from a
variety of different locations and sometimes at high-speeds, for example in trains or in cars.
These factors need to be compensated by making existing networks more dense and selecting
more robust modulation parameters. Therefore, the co-existence of DVB-T and DVB-H services
in a single channel, although technically possible, is unlikely to be ideal.

Using an entire channel for DVB-H services provides the added benefit of making it possible
to offer 30, 40 or 50 services simultaneously, which is likely to garner much more user interest
than if only a few programme services are available. Freeing the network planners from the
constraints and complexities of trying to simultaneously serve a coverage area with DVB-T
may permit more creative use of spectrum in places where people use handheld devices.

The preference for Band IV in UHF

The designers of the DVB-H system have stated their preference for spectrum in the broadcast
Band IV between 470MHz and 650MHz. This is prime spectrum real estate for any wireless
radio services, close to the optimal, since it is low enough in frequency to offer long distance
propagation characteristics and high enough to avoid the worst effects of man-made noise
interference. For those designing a receiver product which includes mobile telephone
capabilities, this frequency range minimizes potential interference at the receiver between the
DVB-H reception and the GSM/UMTS transmissions.

The antenna size available in a handheld receiver ideally suits a higher frequency use. In the
United States trials are underway in the L Band (1.5GHz). However, in Europe, the L Band is
assigned to broadcast use for S-DAB and T-DAB radio and the planning channel bandwidth
of 1.7MHz means that it is not possible to make direct use of the DVB-H standard. In addition,
the cost of a transmitter network for 1.5GHz would be much more expensive than at UHF.

The alternative television broadcast frequency in Band III (VHF) with technologies currently
available at minimum cost would imply the use of telescopic antennas. In addition, international
planning coordination would make the use of DVB-H in this band prior to analogue television
switch-off extremely difficult, if not impossible.

Overall, there is a clear preference for DVB-H in the UHF band, preferably Band IV

Recommended steps
At present
In a context of evolving technologies, it is best that necessary resources are made available to
enable the implementation of DVB-H pilots throughout Europe. Based upon the knowledge
gained during the technical and commercial trials, Europe will be in a strong position to roll-out
DVB-H wherever the necessary spectrum becomes available.

In the short-term
It is likely that the initial developments of broadcast services to handhelds in a worldwide
context will take place prior to analogue switch-off. Therefore, to ensure that Europe is well
positioned to respond to this challenge, it is imperative that resources are made available to
develop these services. In order to benefit from economies of scale, these services will need to
be offered on a national or pan-European level, in which large segments of a population can be
covered.

There is a strong need for European coordination in order to create conditions for a European
market for the equipment manufacturers, especially at the user level (mobile phone, PDA, in-
car receiver, etc) in a situation where availability of spectrum in the UHF band varies significantly
from one country to the other.

18
In the medium-term
Beyond the first phase, additional spectrum will be needed to allow for the further development
of these services. It may be possible to leverage spectrum released through the digital
dividend, in countries where such a dividend exists.

Conclusions
Traditional broadcasting is undergoing a process of change as a consequence of the move
towards an all-digital broadcasting environment. New technology, such as streaming
technology and personal video recorders (PVRs) can complement traditional broadcasting.
New players are entering the market. More programmes, competition and new distribution
platforms means that the television viewing experience will change. For television providers,
the arrival of IPTV and the enhanced offering of cable and satellite providers has increased
the competition. However the terrestrial platform benefits from a unique competitive advantage
- that of wireless mobility.

New technologies, such as UMTS, are enabling mobile telecom operators to provide television-
like services to their subscribers and enter the television broadcast market. Already, this has
led to nascent cooperation between broadcasters and mobile operators. However, because
UMTS networks cannot provide television-like services to a large population at a reasonable
cost, these services will likely become available via a broadcast network.

In order to retain a role in the provision of television services to handheld devices, broadcasters
will need to stake their claim quickly or risk the involvement of new players in the market.
Because the ideal spectrum for DVB-H services is assigned to broadcasting, using a DVB-H
network enables broadcasters to retain a leading role and leverage their strengths in the
provision of content. But broadcasting television services to a handheld using the DVB-H
standard will require compromises among the players.

The technology to provide handheld television services exists. Consumer demand for such
services is expected to grow, and it may be possible to commercially launch such services as
early as 2006. However, key regulatory and business issues will need to be resolved.
Broadcasters and other members of the value chain should use this time to consider how
handheld television services such as DVB-H may be integrated into their strategy.

19
Appendix
The below definitions provide further information on some of the more technical terms
referenced in the document.

4K mode is a functionality available with the DVB-H standard in addition to the 2K and 8K
modes offered by the DVB-T standard. Operators can therefore choose between 2K, 4K and
8K to suit the particular network size and configuration. The use of the 4K mode increases
mobility by a factor of two when compared to the 8K mode. In addition, the maximum SFN size
is doubled when compared to the 2K mode. However, the 4K mode cannot be used in
combination with an existing DVB-T network.

Advanced Television System Committee (ATSC) is a standards organization based in the

United States to promote the establishment of technical standards for all aspects of advanced
television systems. The digital terrestrial television standard developed by ATSC specifies 8-
VSB transmission for HDTV. www.atsc.org

Convergent Mobile and Broadcast Services (CMBS) is a sub-group of the Technical Module
of the DVB Project formed in March 2001. It is tasked with developing technical specifications
and guidelines for applications and services that utilise ‘co-operation’ between broadcast
and mobile telecommunications platforms. In 2004, a set of detailed technical requirements
were generated for an “IPDC in DVB-H” system. These requirements are the basis of the
fundamental specification work for IPDC systems.

Digital Multimedia Broadcast (DMB) delivers mobile television services using the Eureka-
147 Digital Audio Broadcast (DAB) standard with additional error-correction. T-DMB
(terrestrial) uses the terrestrial network in Band III and/or Band L while S-DMB (satellite) uses
the satellite network in Band L.

Digital Video Broadcasting standard for terrestrial television (DVB-T) is a transmission

specification for digital terrestrial television developed by the DVB Project.

The DVB Project is an industry-led consortium of over 260 broadcasters, manufacturers,

network operators, software developers, regulatory bodies and others in over 35 countries
committed to designing global standards for the global delivery of digital television and data
services. www.dvb.org

Eureka 147 is a standard for digital audio broadcasting.

European Telecommunication Standards Institute (ETSI) is an independent, non-profit

organization responsible for the standardization of telecommunications, broadcasting and
related areas, such as intelligent transportation and medical electronics, within Europe.

High-Definition television (HDTV) is a display format used for digital television transmissions.
HDTV provides a high quality display with a vertical resolution display from 720p to 1080i.

Integrated Services Digital Broadcasting for terrestrial television (ISDB-T) is a national

transmission standard for digital terrestrial television broadcasting developed in Japan. It
provides broadcasting modes for high-definition television and handheld television reception.
It specifies OFDM transmission with digital modulation schemes (QPSK, DQPSK, 16QAM
and 64QAM).

International Telecommunications Union (ITU) is an international organization, part of the

United Nations system, where governments and the private sector coordinate global telecom

20
networks and services. It is responsible for standardization, coordination and development
of international telecommunications including radio regulation for the use of transmission
spectrum, as well as the harmonization of national policies.

L-band is a part of the electromagnetic spectrum. It is used by some communications satellites

and digital audio broadcasting.

MediaFLO is a proprietary system developed by Qualcomm to deliver broadcast services to

handheld receivers using OFDM. Qualcomm intends to roll-out these services in the 700
MHz spectrum in the United States where it holds a license.

Middleware is software that interfaces between the upper applications layer and thelower
physical layer of a system.

MPEG-2 is the video and audio compression standard used by DVDs and to provide many
present-day digital television services.

Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) is a digital transmission technique

which places data on hundreds or thousands of carriers simultaneously.

Personal digital assistants (PDAs) are handheld devices that combine computing, Internet
and telephone features. PDAs are also called palmtops, hand-held computers and pocket
computers.

Personal video recorders (PVRs) uses a computer hard disk to store information in digital
format. They have all of the same functionality of VCRs (recording, playback, fast forwarding,
rewinding, pausing) plus the ability to instantly jump to any part of the program without
having to rewind or fast forward the data stream. They also permit simultaneous recordings
and replay with time shift.

Regional Radiocommunications Conference (04/06) is an ITU conference convened to

address the technical basis for the planning of the digital radio and television terrestrial
broadcasting service in the frequency bands 174-230 MHz and 470-862 MHz for parts of
Region 1 (Europe and Africa) and Region 3 (Asia and Australasia). The first session of the
conference took place in May 2004 with the second session planned for June 2006 in Geneva.

Simulcasting is the dual transmission of the digital terrestrial television signal and the
analogue terrestrial television signal.

Teletext offers a range of text-based information viewed on television sets with the appropriate
decoder. The information is included as data inside analogue broadcasts and usually includes
news, weather and television schedules. Subtitle information is also transmitted in the teletext
signal.

Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) provides voice, video and multimedia
data at a speed of up to 2 megabits per second for reception in mobile conditions. Unlike
broadcast networks which can deliver wideband point to multipoint transmissions to mobile
devices for an unlimited number of simultaneous users, however, UMTS networks are designed
for point-to-point transmission. UMTS is often known as third-generation, or 3G, mobile
technology.

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Further resources
For further information on DVB-H, the below listed resources are available:

DVB World 2004 Conference Proceedings (available for purchase)

Dublin, March 2004
http://www.iab.ch/pages/orderproceedings.htm

Michael Kornfeld and Ulrich Reimers: DVB-H — the emerging standard for mobile data
communication
EBU Technical Review, No. 301, January 2005
http://www.ebu.ch/en/technical/trev/trev_301-dvb-h.pdf

IPDC Forum Digital Terrestrial Broadcasting for Handheld Devices Workshop

Presentations
Brussels, February 2005

IPDC Forum Broadcast Media in Mobile Workshop Presentations

London, April 2004
http://www.ipdc-forum.org/resources/resources.html

EN 302 304 v1.1.1: Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB); Transmission System for Handheld
Terminals (DVB-H)
ETSI, November 2004
http://webapp.etsi.org/exchangefolder/en_302304v010101p.pdf

DTG: Mobile TV Applications Handbook (available for purchase)

http://www.dtg.org.uk/publications/mobile_book.html

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23
www.digitag.org

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