Although mobile TV was a red-hot topic at the latest CeBIT technology show in Germany, the service is unlikely to catch on soon in the local market, analysts said, citing the absence of applications.
"We have yet to see any killer applications for mobile TV services," said Su Shu-chin (
Su, who had been involved in the research for BenQ's first third-generation (3G) mobile phone, spoke at a symposium yesterday organized by the Department of Industrial Technology under the Ministry of Economic Affairs.
Su said that it was still too early to say if users would embrace TV broadcasts on their mobile phones as easily as they did camera features.
"We didn't realize that camera phones would receive such an overwhelming response from global consumers when they were introduced, but `a camera] has since become a basic feature in handsets," she said.
There are still a number of issues to be ironed out before mobile TV services will be able to take off on a larger scale, she said.
One issue that needs to be addressed is ensuring stable video reception while users are traveling on the highway or even the upcoming high-speed railway, or else consumers will be frustrated and shun the service, Su said.
Before these services are introduced, the details of dividing billing between content providers and telecom firms, as well as establishing a payment mechanism for subscribers, will pose another challenge, she said.
However, this does not mean mobile TV services are destined for failure, she added.
"Mobile TV will create extra viewing time for users outside their homes, and working out how to attract them by offering interactive, value-added applications will be the key," Su said.
These applications should offer services beyond the common features like games, ticketing and video-on-demand services, she said.
Providing consumers with a simple-to-use interface will be another selling point, Su added.
Vibo Telecom Inc (威寶電信), the latest entrant to the nation's 3G industry last year, unveiled a drama series for 3G mobile phones early last month.
The 3G drama PS ... I Luv U takes into account the unique characteristics of video streaming and factors such as visual composition on mobile screens, as well as the appropriate episode length for phone viewing.
The show has been wildly popular among its 60,000 subscribers, said an official from Vibo's marketing and communications division.
Meanwhile, Chinese Television System (華視) and Chunghwa Telecom Co (中華電信) will join forces in the third quarter in a trial run for a project dubbed Digital Video Broadcasting: Handhelds (DVB-H), which sidesteps the 3G network.
Users who acquire DVB-H phones will be able to watch TV programs over digital TV networks instead of a cellphone network.
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