DVB-H Becomes Standard

The DVB-H (digital video broadcasting, handheld) format championed by Nokia is now ratified as Europe's standard for portable digital TV, the European Commission says today. Although the continent-wide organization had chosen the format in the summer, a vote by European Union members voted in favor of choosing the standard. This will demand that any cellphone, computer, or other device made for mobile TV in these countries must use the format for their networks. Such a decision will avoid fragmenting the market and encourage companies to develop hardware knowing they can ship a large amount and reduce the overall price, the EC says.

Britain, Germany, and the Netherlands opposed the move but did not have enough influence to win the vote.

Devices that use DVB-H are already on the market, such as the Nokia N77, but are rare largely due to the lack of widespread networks. The US is in a similar state but uses the incompatible MediaFLO standard through Verizon's V CAST TV service.

By Electronista Staff