Europe UK : BT has signed an agreement with ZTE to develop the world’s first 3G mobile handset compatible with BT Movio’s wholesale mobile entertainment service.

The new phone will enable 3G mobile operators to offer BT Movio’s broadcast mobile TV and DAB digital radio service, ideal for live, mass-market channels, alongside existing video-on-demand services and niche channels over their 3G networks. Consumers will not have to worry about which technology to choose; they will simply see a wider selection of channels and services, and will be able to enjoy them in clear, digital quality.

The agreement was signed today at a ceremony in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to mark the occasion of Chinese Premier Wen’s official visit to the UK. The agreement closely follows the commercial launch of BT Movio in the UK last week, in which BT Movio was confirmed as the first wholesale service in the world to offer a service consisting of mobile TV, DAB digital radio, 7-day programme guide and ‘red button’ interactivity for mobile phones.

ZTE will develop and supply multi-mode 3G/DAB-IP enabled handsets to further extend the portfolio of devices capable of supporting the BT Movio service.

Emma Lloyd, managing director, BT Movio said: “With China’s status as the world’s largest manufacturer of mobile devices, the partnership with ZTE provides evidence of the growing support for BT Movio’s IP based approach to mobile TV in the world’s most influential mobile market. Furthermore, with the introduction of the first 3G mobile device capable of supporting DAB-IP, we will be in a strong position to extend the BT Movio wholesale proposition to 3G mobile operators in the UK.”

BT Movio has developed a platform that is able to deliver services via any IP capable bearer, be they broadcast or point-to-point. This gives the ultimate flexibility in a converging world where spectrum availability varies in every single market around the globe. It also provides the opportunity to mask the complexity of different bearers and technologies from the consumer, presenting a simple and uniform interface of more channels and services, regardless of how they are delivered.

Frank Bai, Managing Director of ZTE UK said: “We look forward to the launch of the first 3G phone compatible with BT Movio’s mobile entertainment service next year and see this as the beginning of a strong partnership. BT Movio’s vision and technology choices provide the most realistic and far sighted approach to the fast developing field of mobile TV, combining the relative strengths of 3G and broadcast networks to deliver compelling entertainment experiences to consumers.”

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