tdTV to be tested in West London

A mobile TV service that will let people watch up to 24 channels is being trailed by Orange and T-Mobile.

For six months starting in June, the network providers will distribute handsets, with a wireless TDtv receiver to customers living in West London. This will let people watch a range of channels including several from the BBC and Sky as well as listen to 10 digital radio stations.

TDtv is a multimedia broadcast service, developed by Nextwave Wireless that uses 3G.

It allows mobile operators to deliver multiple TV channels, digital audio and other services to an unlimited number of customers at the same time.

As well as offering more capacity, Orange and T-mobile also see TDtv as a more efficient way off delivering mobile TV.

The two service providers and Vodafone and 3 currently offer mobile TV through their 3G networks, but congestion can occur if more than a few of customers use the service in the same place. As TDtv uses a different part of the 3G spectrum, many more users can watch TV simultaneously.

The service is also said to be cheaper than the European Union proposed DVB-H technology. This can currently only support 12 channels.

The partnership follows trials in 2006 of an 11-channel TDtv- mobile TV service in Bristol. The results from the trail backed by Orange, Vodafone, Telefonica and 3UK were described by Orange as “extremely encouraging.”

For the London trail T-Mobile and Orange will share their phone masts and are also inviting O2, Vodafone and 3 to take part.