BT has signed an agreement with ZTE, the Chinese provider of telecomms equipment and network solutions, to develop the worlds first 3G mobile handset that is compatible with BT Movios wholesale mobile entertainment service.
The handset will enable 3G mobile operators to offer BT Movios broadcast Mobile TV and DAB digital radio service, alongside existing video-on-demand services and niche channels over their 3G networks. Consumers will not have to worry about which technology to choose, says BT. They will simply see a wider selection of channels and services, and will be able to enjoy them in clear, digital quality.
The agreement was signed today at a ceremony in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to mark the occasion of Chinese Premier Wens official visit to the UK. It follows the commercial launch of BT Movio in the UK last week, in which BT Movio was confirmed as the first wholesale service in the world to offer a service consisting of Mobile TV, DAB digital radio, a 7-day programme guide and red button interactivity for mobile phones. ZTE will develop and supply multi-mode 3G/DAB-IP enabled handsets to further extend the portfolio of devices capable of supporting the BT Movio service.
With Chinas status as the worlds largest manufacturer of mobile devices, the partnership with ZTE provides evidence of the growing support for BT Movios IP-based approach to mobile TV in the worlds most influential mobile market says BT Movio Managing Director, Emma Lloyd. Furthermore, with the introduction of the first 3G mobile device capable of supporting DAB-IP, we will be in a strong position to extend the BT Movio wholesale proposition to 3G mobile operators in the UK.
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