Mobile TV now available to consumers in Finland

22 May 2007

Earlier this month saw the launch, on Digita’s Mobiili-TV platform, of commercial free-to-air services from MTV Media and Nelonen Media, two of Finland’s commercial broadcasters. As a further confirmation that DVB-H mobile TV has become a reality in Finland, Nokia N92 receivers are now available to consumers and the newer N77 model is also set to become available during this quarter. DVB-H networks are now operating commercially in Italy, Vietnam and Finland.

The DVB-H network in Finland is operated by Digita and has been covering more than 25% of the population since December of last year. By the end of this year Digita hopes to be able to increase coverage to 40% of Finns. Some content has been on air since December, including Voice-tv from SBS Finland Oy and some once-off sporting broadcasts from Elisa-tv, however receivers have not been available to consumers until now.

May 10th was the key date for the platform with the addition of MTV3, followed quickly by Nelonen’s Channel 4. It is understood that further services will be added in future, including the channels of public broadcaster YLE. These services have been launched free to air initially, but pay-TV services can be expected as the platform develops.

More information on the service, mostly in Finnish, is available here: www.mobiilitv.fi

More information on DVB-H trials and service launches from: www.dvb-h.org