MultiChoice South Africa launched their Mobile TV broadcasting service, DStv Mobile, last week. DStv Mobile can be accessed on a DVB-H enabled cellphone or via MultiChoice\u2019s newly introduced Mobile TV decoder, the Drifta.<\/p>\n
The DVB-H enabled cellphones currently available in the South African market are the Nokia 5330, Nokia N96 and ZTE F900.<\/p>\n
DVB-H network coverage is available in Johannesburg, Pretoria, Soweto, CapeTown, Port Elizabeth, Polokwane, Mbombela, Rustenburg, Bloemfontein and Durban.<\/p>\n
The DStv Mobile bouquet is currently available free of charge, and will cost subscribers R36 per month from 1 April 2011.<\/p>\n
e.tv also launched their free-to-air e.Mobile service last week which includes the eNews Channel and Channel O.<\/p>\n
Since e.tv uses the same DVB-H network as DStv Mobile, the same network coveragae applies to the e.Mobile service.<\/p>\n
Technical specifications<\/strong><\/p>\n DStv Mobile General Manager Mark Rayner explains that MultiChoice and e.tv received 8 MHz of UHF spectrum from ICASA which enables them to provide 15 DVB-H channels.<\/p>\n Since MultiChoice received 60% and e.tv 40% of the spectrum, DStv Mobile will offer 9 channels while e.tv has the potential of offering 6 channels.<\/p>\n Both DStv Mobile and e.Mobile use Orbicom, the signal distributors of MultiChoice, for their DVB-H needs. Orbicom constructed 61 DVB-H sites to date, with plans to extend this to 71 in future.<\/p>\n These 71 sites are however only high-powered DVB-H sites, and Orbicom is also using micro-sites in areas where it needs better coverage, like \u2018dead-spots\u2019 in high-population areas.<\/p>\n Rayner said that this network provides them with around 50% population coverage, and that any future network growth will depend on the take-up of the service.<\/p>\n Handsets and take-up of service<\/strong><\/p>\n Rayner said that they are well aware that the limited number of DVB-H enabled handsets is a factor which will limit the take-up of their DStv Mobile service, but that they are working with handset providers to boost the presence of mobile TV cellphones in the country.<\/p>\n Rayner said that their Drifta mobile TV decoder aims to address the shortage of DVB-H devices in the market, but apart from this initiative consumers can soon expect to see cellular deals from various providers which will include DStv Mobile subscriptions.<\/p>\n Rayner said that they are working with various cellular companies, including Vodacom, MTN, Cell C, and Nashua Mobile, to launch DVB-H enabled cellphone packages with DStv Mobile subscriptions thrown in.<\/p>\n The take-up of the service is expected to be low initially, but Rayner explains that they have a very long term view with this service and that they will not be concerned if they don\u2019t reach 100,000 subscribers in the first year.<\/p>\n