V4x Demo movie

Telemak signed a partnership with Interactivity builder V4x. We received a nice demo movie you can watch now.

For more information on V4x you can go to their website or visit Telemak's website

Mobile TV to reach 500M subscribers by 2013

ABI Research predicts that there will be half a billion mobile television viewers and subscribers by 2013.

The approaching switchover to all-digital TV broadcasting in the United States and other major countries will create an opportunity for the mobile TV market, according to a new study from ABI Research. The study also found that mobile TV's revenues will reach $50 billion by 2013.

"I think it may or may not be obvious but mobile TV will become an ad platform as this service becomes more common and more and more consumers start to use mobile TV," said Jeff Orr, senior analyst at ABI, Sacramento, CA.

There's an important distinction to draw between content streamed to mobile handsets over cellular networks, and free-to-air broadcasting to mobile devices equipped with mobile TV tuners.

Mobile TV users do not value the medium properly because it has not been validated as an independent product and service. In fact it has been primarily offered at the end of a long list of more preferred mobile services.

"However, Mobile TV will soon be positioned in a more proper role as an extension of traditional broadcast TV services," Mr. Orr said.

Mr. Orr also said that mobile TV viewing will not solely be on mobile phones but also on mobile Internet devices as well, such as the iPod touch.

"I believe that once the content is available and the services launched, mobile TV will enable more classes of mobile devices that are 'natural fits' for mobile entertainment," Mr. Orr said.

ABI Research believes the timing of the market's emergence is good. As 2009 progresses, signs of economic optimism may emerge, and allow the baby bird industry to establish a foothold before the holiday shopping season of 2009.

"The acceptance of mobile TV relies heavily on time and on cultural shift," Mr. Orr said. "Consumers have to willing to receive and interact with mobile content on their phones."

"Advertising and sponsorship opportunities will arise once the channel is solidified and commercially available," he said.

Associate Editor Giselle Abramovich covers ad networks, advertising, content, email, media, messaging, legal/privacy, search, social networks, television and video. Reach her at giselle@mobilemarketer.com.

Telemak in the Beijing frenzy

A few weeks ago I got a call from Mobistar, one of the Belgian mobile operators, for who we deliver a live Mobile TV platform. "We might do the Olympics, could you check out the possibilities?" Sure, no problem. We received the final details this morning, 3 hours before the opening ceremony. And now we are there. While typing this post, I watch the opening ceremony on my N95.

Telemak streams the Olympics live to all Mobistar customers that have Mobile TV possibilites. If you have a Mobistar phone, you can check out if your phone is TV enabled on the Mobistar website. If you have your phone ready, surf to wap.mobistar.be and click on the Olympic logo. It's as easy as that. And new is the higher quality we send out. Up to quarter screen resolution (320 x 240). Woaw, it is looking nice. Yiehaa, we are part of the Olympics!. Duh, everyone is, no? I think every company in the world must be present one way or another in Beijing. But we are proud to do this in such a short time frame. Really exciting. Good I have a great team here doing all the work, while I watch TV...

You also want to stream something to mobile phones? Hey, we can do that for you. It's as easy as 1, 2, 3. Almost. Enjoy the games, and might the sports prevail !

Broadcasters and not operators should finance Mobile TV

Ingrid Lunden reports after her interview with a Vivendi executive that the battleground between telcos and broadcasters for Mobile TV domination is emerging. According to Vivendi, the broadcasters, and not the mobile operators, should be financing and distributing Mobile TV.

Most of the mobile TV initiatives that have been launched so far in Europe have been spearheaded by mobile operators. Telemak has built and still operates the very first Mobile TV platform in Belgium. Mobistar (France Telecom) currently has over a dozen of Mobile TV channels in the mobile air.

Although Mobile TV services have not made a lot of profit to the operators, it is in the hands of the broadcasters to work closely with the operators on mobile advertising models in support of a free service and new television formats which appeal to a generation of urban and mobile users.