LG and Samsung join forces on Mobile Digital TV standard for North America

LG and Samsung, announced they have signed an agreement and are jointly developing a technology for mobile digital television (DTV). The two Korean manufacturers will propose it to the Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC), which is expected to adopt a single (mobile DTV) standard for the North American market in early 2009.

Unlike Qualcomm’s MediaFlo (which is used for both Verizon Wireless and AT&T Mobile TV services), the new in-band mobile DTV standard will use the existing terrestrial digital TV broadcast bandwidth, optimizing it for the mobile usage. As digital TV is actually free, a customer will need only a compatible device to take use of it, instead of paying a fee to operators (as with MediaFlo). Thus, it will be able to reach more customers and according to some studies, the U.S. market for mobile DTV phones will reach 130 million units by the end of 2012. In Europe, the mobile DTV standard is DVB-H, which is based on the DVB-T terrestrial standard.

The official press release doesn’t provide information if the new solution will be based on LG’s MPH technology, announced back in January.

source: LG