Qatar Telecom (Qtel), a leading telecommunications service provider, and Nokia Siemens Networks have signed the world’s first commercial mobile TV deployment contract based on DVB-H and OMA BCast Smart Card Profile technology.
Nokia Siemens Networks will supply Qtel with the state-of-the-art Digital Video Broadcasting Handheld (DVB-H) solution providing their subscribers enhanced TV viewing experiences on their mobile phones with the added flexibility of selecting their preferred subscription payment model.
Commenting on the development, Qtel’s executive director for group communications Adel Al Mutawa said: “This agreement opens a historic new chapter for entertainment and connectivity in Qatar. This pioneering partnership with Nokia Siemens Networks will deliver a world-class mobile experience for our customers, providing them with the highest quality broadcasts directly to their phones.”
A strategic partner for operators looking to deploy mobile TV solutions, Nokia Siemens Networks will roll out a DVB-H solution with OMA BCast Smart Card Profile (SCP) for Qtel.
“With OMA BCast SCP, mobile operators are able to integrate the management rights for mobile TV broadcast content, provided via DVB-H, into their existing infrastructure,” a statement said.
“This comprehensive mobile TV solution includes software, hardware, consulting and integration, network design and implementation services. For the authentication of mobile TV subscribers, Nokia Siemens Networks is providing its One-BSF solution, forming a key part of Qtel’s unified subscriber database strategy for creating a common subscriber profile to be used for both mobile and DVB-H service.
In addition, Nokia, the infrastructure vendor’s parent company, will provide Nokia N96 handsets to test the first SCP compliant software that enables subscribers to choose from among a host of payment models and interactivity options. One of the main factors in winning this deal was the end-user insight that Nokia Siemens Networks gained from its close collaboration with Nokia.
Remarked Al Mutawa: “This innovation introduces ‘world firsts’ to the global communications community: Qtel will be the first operator anywhere in the world to commercially deploy DVB-H SCP. We will also be the first company to integrate the new Nokia N96 model into our deployment strategy. Both these historic steps will support Qatar’s wider goal of using the most advanced technology to support the growth of the knowledge economy.”
The solutions offered by Nokia and Nokia Siemens Networks are based on the open DVB-H standards. They allow short implementation time as well as end-to-end capability, combining the equipment, services and devices to create a unique solution for mobile TV service providers.
Nokia and Nokia Siemens Networks work with more than 30 operators worldwide on DVB-H implementations. Their commercial launches include Finland, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Netherlands, the Philippines, Switzerland and Vietnam.
Qtel has a presence in 16 countries.
