The increasing availability of mobile
handsets capable of receiving free-to-air analogue and digital
terrestrial TV signals will adversely impact the prospects for
dedicated mobile broadcast TV networks, according to a new report from
Juniper Research.
While the report says that more than 330m mobile
users worldwide will own broadcast TV-enabled handsets by 2013, less
than 14% will opt for mobile pay TV services. Although mobile broadcast
TV will generate global annual end-user revenues of $2.7 billion by
2013, this level is markedly lower than previously forecast.
According
to report author Dr Windsor Holden, "The development of terrestrial
TV-capable receivers with comparatively low power consumption, and the
availability of these receivers in mass market handsets, throws into
question the business case for the deployment of a dedicated network in
many markets."
Other findings from the report include:
-- In terms of end-user revenues, the US will be the largest single market for mobile broadcast TV services in 2013, followed by South Korea and China.
-- MediaFLO services are likely to be deployed in parts of Asia and in the UK by the end of 2010.
-- Adoption levels for streamed TV packages are higher than previously envisaged, reflecting the reduction in anticipated deployment of dedicated mobile broadcast TV networks.
The report notes that operator decisions to offer
DVB-T handsets in Germany has effectively closed the door for DVB-H in
Germany, and argues that the strong take-up of analogue TV handsets in
China -- and of one-seg handsets in Japan -- indicates that free-to-air
services will continue to predominate.
However, the report also notes that this trend in turn has created a further opportunity for streamed TV services.
Holden
continued: "There will always be a market for some form of premium TV
service on the mobile handset, and with broadcast TV in many markets
likely to consist simply of the free-to-air terrestrial signals, the
gap in the market is likely to be filled by streamed video-on-demand
services over the 3G network."
Juniper Research assesses the current
and future status of the mobile TV market based on interviews, case
studies and analysis from representatives of some of the leading
organisations in the growing mobile TV industry.