Europe Austria : The Telekom Austria Group announced that its mobile subsidiary, mobilkom austria, has started a DVB-H (Digital Video Broadcasting - Handhelds) pilot project jointly with ORF (Austrian Broadcasting Corporation), Hutchison 3G, Siemens sterreich, ORS (Austria Radio Broadcaster), the University of Applied Sciences Salzburg and with the support of the Austrian Regulatory Authority - Rundfunk und Telekom Regulierungs-GmbH (RTR). The pilot project, which started September 1, 2006 and will continue until June 2007, has realised the "mobile tv austria" platform.

Inset is Hannes Ametsreiter, CMO at mobilkom austria, who is quoted below.

One thousand pilot participants are testing digital terrestrial TV via mobile for the first time in Austria. The standard DVB-H allows for sharp and stable pictures, high transmission quality and long battery life. A further advantage is represented by higher capacity, which allows for simultaneous deployment by multi-users. Via the platform "mobile tv austria" the user has access to TV programmes tailor-made for mobile phones. The DVB-H transmission network currently covers central parts of Vienna and started operations in September 2006.

The Austria mobile TV pilot is based on the cooperation among partners from different industries including two mobile network operators and a broadcaster. Each partner contributes its specific expertise and allows for a service environment under real operating conditions that can function via different terminals.

Alfred Grinschgl, Managing Director of RTR-GmbH said: "mobile tv austria is a good example for the consistent implementation of Austria's digitalization strategy. The rapid introduction of mobile TV contributes to leveraging the potential of digital terrestrial TV for the benefit of Austria as a business and media location." In addition to providing expert support, RTR is investing EUR 1.3 million in the pilot project from the digitalisation fund.

ORF Generates Special Programmes for Mobile TV with ORF MOBIL

"mobile tv austria" not only offers traditional programmes like ORF 1 and 2 and ATV via the mobile handset but also special content specifically produced for mobile TV usage such as ORF MOBIL realized by ORF. Thomas Prantner, Director New Media at ORF said: "ORF participation in the trial is aimed at testing the success factors of showing content on a mobile handset and at co-shaping mobile TV development in Austria."

The pilot offers the opportunity to test the production, organisation and content related framework conditions for successful mobile TV via DVB-H. These range from new TV programming and testing of new prime-times to production of original TV formats.

Moreover, mobilkom austria and Hutchison 3G integrated the Electronic Service Guide (ESG) provided by Siemens in such a way that it offers an overview of the individually offered services.

mobilkom austria Focuses on Mobile TV With High Customer Convenience As the domestic market and innovation leader, mobilkom austria can look back on an exciting success story in the area of mobile TV, which began in 2004 with the launch of CNN on the mobile handset. In autumn 2005 mobilkom austria introduced the Austrian programs ORF 1 and 2 on a UMTS capable handset. Therefore, it is a logical next step for the company to embark on DVB-H. Hannes Ametsreiter, CMO at mobilkom austria said: "From the very beginning of the pilot project we have played an active role making a considerable contribution to this friendly customer trial. mobilkom austria relies on longstanding know-how and extensive expertise and will make the latest DVB-H handsets available. We are convinced that mobile TV will become an indispensable feature of the modern life style."

Hutchinson 3G Further Develops its Core Competence in the Area of Mobile TV Mobile TV plays a significant role in the wide range of services provided by Hutchison 3G, which considers mobile TV as one of the main growth drivers in the mobile segment. Currently there are 20 mobile TV channels available on all 3 mobile handsets via DVB-H.

Berthold Thoma, 3 CEO: "We view ourselves as a media company and as a multinational group we rely on our international experiences in the area of mobile TV. 3 was the first operator worldwide to successfully launch DVB-H commercial operations in Italy. In Austria, we are not only best equipped in terms of DVB-H handsets but also in terms of appropriate content!" Siemens Provides Know-How for Interactive Applications Dietmar Appeltauer, Managing Director of Siemens Networkssaid: "mobile tv austria is not only a logical extension of the product portfolio of Siemens as full service provider of telecommunications infrastructure but, it also represents a worldwide trend-setting reference within the Group. Siemens provides extensive know-how ranging from hardware to DVB-H applications. Through the findings of the pilot the company expects to develop future-proof solutions for new equipment and system generations." ORS Secures Technical Infrastructure for the DVB-H Pilot Project The Austria Radio Broadcaster ORS is responsible for setting up, operating and maintaining terrestrial transmission networks. It guarantees secure network operations for DVB-T and DVB-H. In the mobile TV pilot project ORS is in charge for planning, developing, testing and implementing the technical infrastructure.

Michael Wagenhofer, Commercial Managing Director of ORS: "We are confident that the pilot project will start commercial operations by the end of 2007, beginning of 2008. This unique partnership model of "mobile tv austria" delivers the best prerequisite." Competent Research Support by the University of Applied Sciences Salzburg The University of Applied Sciences Salzburg provides a valuable research support to the pilot project via its extensive experience and its international network of professors and researchers in the course of studies for digital TV. The university offers a comprehensive development and production infrastructure for the conception and production of specific content as well as of interactive services for mobile TV.

Raimund Ribitsch, Managing Director of the University for Applied Sciences Salzburg: "The pilot project mobile tv austria' fosters the research activities in Austria in the area of digital TV and thus guarantees that Austria will continue to play a pioneering role in Europe into the future."

About mobile tv austria: "mobile tv Austria" (www.mobiletvaustria.at) is a joint platform realized by ORF, mobilkom austria, Hutchison 3G, Siemens sterreich, ORS and the University of Applied Sciences Salzburg. These six partners have combined their specific competences and realized the first DVB-H (Digital Video Broadcasting - Handhe