DVB-SH passes 3G+ test
January 18, 2008
A DVB-SH pilot jointly performed by SFR and Alcatel-Lucent from July to December 2007, has enabled both companies to validate the fundamental assumptions for the deployment of a DVB-SH network co-localised, for its terrestrial part, with an existing commercial 3G+ network.
The tests proved that it is possible to reuse the 3G+ sites, towers and antennas in order to deploy a DVB-SH Mobile TV broadcast network in the frequency bands adjacent to UMTS (i.e. in the S band at 2.2 GHz, currently available all over Europe).
Furthermore, tests performed in the city of Pau (Southwest of France), both outdoors and inside buildings, validated several fundamental assumptions on the performances of a DVB-SH network, notably the coverage, continuity and quality of service.
In particular, the tests confirmed that it only requires that portions of the 3G+ sites are equipped with DVB-SH repeaters to allow Mobile TV coverage inside buildings identical to the 3G+ coverage. According to Alcatel-Lucent, this validates the economical efficiency of the deployment of a DVB-SH terrestrial network for Mobile TV broadcast with a very high coverage quality.