Archive notice: This article was originally published on September 20, 2006. Links and embedded videos are preserved as part of the historical record.
Through the collaboration of the first German mobile TV provider MFD Mobiles Fernsehen Deutschland GmbH with mobile communications provider Mobilcom, distribution of the “watcha” mobile TV service will be significantly expanded from October. According to MFD’s account, this gives five million mobile communications users the opportunity to consume mobile TV. “This takes the spread of mobile television in Germany to a new level,” states Henrik Rinnert, co-founder and managing director of MFD. At present, four TV programs can be received around the clock with “watcha” and a suitable mobile phone.
According to company information, unrestricted use of mobile TV via “watcha” will probably cost “significantly less than ten euros per month”. Television by mobile phone is to be offered to Mobilcom customers as an additionally bookable option when concluding a contract, but also as a supplement to ongoing contracts. Mobilcom also offers the TV mobile phones required for reception. The Samsung SGH-P900 and LG V9000 models are available to choose from. Alongside the new distribution partner Mobilcom, service provider Debitel already offers the “watcha” service.
With the introduction of “watcha” at the end of May 2006, MFD had launched the first commercial mobile TV offering in the German mark. The company holds broadcasting licences in the DMB standard (Digital Multimedia Broadcasting) for the entire federal territory. The service is currently on air in the twelve major cities of Berlin, Dortmund, Frankfurt, Gelsenkirchen, Hamburg, Hanover, Cologne, Leipzig, Munich, Nuremberg, Saarbrücken and Stuttgart.
With “watcha”, viewers can initially choose between the four TV programs ZDF, N24, MTV and a comedy channel with content from SAT.1 and ProSieben, in addition to the bigFM radio program. The program selection for mobile pocket television is to be expanded further; MFD is currently negotiating with other television broadcasters about feeding in their programs.
