DVB-SH trial in Italy

Italian public broadcaster RAI, in conjunction with Alcatel-Lucent and mobile operator 3 Italia are starting the first trial of mobile TV based on the DVB-SH standard in Italy.
The trial will take place in Turin and will be supervised by RAI Technological Strategies Dept. and the RAI Research and Technology Innovation Centre.
Cellular sites will provide indoor coverage of Turin’s centre, while broadcast towers provided by RAI will provide outdoor and vehicular coverage of the entire city. Alcatel-Lucent’s DVB-SH low-power repeaters will be co-localised with live UMTS sites of 3 Italia and connected to the live UMTS antennas.
The first phase of the trial is planned to take place between December 2007 and March 2008 and will validate the capability of DVB-SH to make available a large number of mobile TV channels, in various usage environments and conditions. The second phase will evaluate the potential broadcast signals from a satellite, which will be emulated by a transmitter in a high-altitude helicopter. The trial is expected to prove the improved reception quality made possible by the DVB-SH standard, which combines both satellite, and ground based repeaters to provide a seamless service.
Source: Telecompaper
Item added: 17th December 2007