Commission approves EUR 37.6 million in French state aid for new mobile television solution
The European Commission has given the green light to EUR 37.6 million in French state aid to 'Unlimited Mobile TV', a research project on broadcasting television over mobile telephones. Launched in 2006, the project seeks to develop a new mobile television broadcasting solution, combining terrestrial and satellite broadcast networks and using an evolution of the Digital Video Broadcasting - Handheld (DVB-H) standard in the S-Band frequency. The result is a third generation (3G)-friendly mobile TV option, which allows mobile operators to deliver an unlimited number of channels, to an unlimited audience with unlimited coverage and maximum interactivity. The aid, which was provided by France's Industrial Innovation Agency, was given the go-ahead following an analysis by the Commission of the mobile television market in Europe. It concluded that since the market was still emerging, the aid would make it possible to speed up the establishment of structured coordination between manufacturers of satellites, terrestrial network infrastructures, mobile telephones and semiconductors. Coordinated by a subsidiary of Alcatel-Lucent, a telecommunications company, the project brings together three public research institutes and seven companies, all located in France. 'This research and development project will benefit European consumers by broadening mobile television supply in Europe. I welcome the extensive collaboration between public research bodies and businesses of all sizes,' said Competition Commissioner Neelie Kroes. However, she regretted the fact that, unlike its forerunners financed by the Commission, the collaborative project does not extend beyond the frontiers of France.
Countries
France