The fact that DVB designs open and interoperable standards has allowed even non-member companies to benefit from DVB's work in developing DVB-H products. An overview

DVB-H, the specification for bringing broadcast services to battery-powered handheld receivers, was formally adopted as an ETSI standard in November 2004. The DVB-IPDC systems layer specifications cover aspects such as electronic service guides, content download protocols, and service purchase and protection. The DVB-SH specification is designed to enable the delivery of mobile TV services in S-band over hybrid satellite/terrestrial networks.

The DVB set of specifications for mobile TV and IP datacast was developed over a number of years by the DVB Project, an industry consortium with more than 260 member companies from around the world. The fact that DVB designs open and interoperable standards has allowed even non-member companies to benefit from DVB's work in developing DVB-H products.

DVB-H is largely based on the successful DVB-T specification for digital terrestrial television, adding to it a number of features designed to take account of the limited battery life of small handheld devices, and the particular environments in which such receivers must operate. The use of a technique called time-slicing, where bursts of data are received periodically, allows the receiver to power off when it is inactive leading to significant power savings. DVB-H also employs additional forward error correction to further improve the already excellent mobile performance of DVB-T.

India chose the DVB-T standard for terrestrial digital broadcasting in July 1999 after 18 months of study and testing. The state broadcaster, Doordarshan started a pilot trial in Delhi during 2002 which is extending to Calcutta, Mumbai and Chennai. While broadcaster Doordarshan is the only company offering mobile TV services in the country, other players have video download options riding on relatively faster mobile phone technologies.

Currently, Indian public broadcaster Doordarshan is the only company offering mobile TV services in the country, using the DVB-H technology. Zee
Telefilms Limited and Star India among others have video download options riding on relatively faster mobile phone technologies.

According to a regulatory expert, the government could allocate around 8MHz in the 700MHz frequency band, accommodating at least three-four mobile TV services companies. ‘The auction could at least fetch USD 500 million (Rs1, 980 crore),' he said.

Globally, there are three main technologies for offering mobile TV: MediaFLO (short for media forward link only) system from Qualcomm Inc., DVB-H, and DVB-S (digital video broadcasting-satellite). In the US, both Verizon Communications Inc. and AT&T Inc. offer mobile TV using MediaFLO technology. China has developed its own proprietary mobile TV standard called ‘China Multimedia Mobile Broadcasting', or CMMB.

The DVB-IPDC specifications for IP datacast are essential to the convergence of broadcast networks and mobile telecommunications networks that will almost certainly be central to the majority of commercial launches of DVB-H and DVB-SH services. The specifications cover the overall system architecture, electronic service guide (ESG), content delivery protocols, and the PSI/SI that will make the establishment of convergent networks possible.

In 2006, Nokia announced that it will be helping India's national television broadcaster Doordashan to mount a DVB-H pilot in early 2007. During the pilot phase, Doordashan tested the reception quality, broadcast coverage, interactive services and customer acceptance and expectations of DVB-H services. The outcome helped them to decide whether to go for a full DVB-H service. India has already chosen DVB-T for its fixed digital terrestrial TV services and DVB-H will extend the delivery of TV to mobile handsets.