Mobile TV a potential $2bn market
February 5, 2008
If implemented quickly, mobile DTV broadcast services could be a $2 billion market for the industry by 2012 according to a report unveiled during NAB's TV board meeting. The report, from BIA Financial Network, was commissioned by the association as part of its 'FASTROAD' (Flexible Advanced Services for Television & Radio On All Devices) technology advocacy group.
BIA Financial Network said that in order to achieve these figures (which would be a mix of ad revenues and subscription fees), the broadcast industry should focus its efforts on establishing a single standard for mobile TV (currently under consideration by the ATSC) by the summer of 2008. The technology should be ready for roll-out a year from now to correspond with the analogue shut-off; content protection issues be resolved; audience measurement parameters be established; and that consumer devices be broadly available by Christmas 2009.
The company said it based its predictions on the assumption that 130 million mobile receive devices and an additional 50 million MP3 devices include M/H capability by 2012.