Consumers also want to watch TV programs on their mobile

Espoo, Finland - Results announced today from one of the world's first commercial mobile TV pilots in Helsinki, Finland reveal the popularity and willingness to pay for mobile TV services, underlining the potential of this exciting new mobile application. 41% of pilot participants would be willing to purchase mobile TV services and half thought that a fixed monthly fee of 10 euros was a reasonable price to pay. Over half (58%) said that they believed broadcast mobile TV services would be popular.

 

Digita, Elisa, MTV, Channel Four Finland (Nelonen), Nokia, TeliaSonera Finland and YLE jointly conducted the pilot in Finland between March and June 2005 with 500 users accessing mobile TV using the Nokia 7710 smartphone and DVB-H technology.

 

According to the pilot results, pilot participants not only wanted to watch familiar program offerings, but they would also welcome mobile TV content that is suitable for short and occasional viewing. Familiar programs available through national Finnish television channels proved to be the most popular followed by sports and news channels (CNN, BBC World, Euronews). The Ice Hockey World cup games, the San Marino and Monaco Formula One as well as the UEFA Champions League match between Liverpool and AC Milan were among the top 10 programs viewed during the pilot. 

 

In general, mobile TV users spent approximately 20 minutes a day watching mobile TV, although more active users watched between 30 to 40 minutes per session. Participants also watched mobile TV at different times than traditional TV peak hours.

 

Mobile TV was most popular while traveling on public transport to relax or to keep up to date with the latest news although it also proved popular at home for entertainment and complementing participants' main TV watching.

 

The potential commercial benefits of mobile TV are clearly evident from this pilot with 41% willing to pay for the service. Pilot members were charged a monthly fee of 4.90 euros although half of those that took part thought 10 euros per month was a reasonable price to pay. Overall, users preferred a fixed pricing model although many were also interested in a pay per view model - i.e. buying access for specific content such as a football match or racing competition.

 

The pilot results also reveal the key requirements from consumers in order to use mobile TV services:

 

- Easy and intuitive service usability

- Good technical functionality and reliability

- Content that is also suitable for short period viewing

- Mobile phone functions must not be compromised by the TV application

 

"The Helsinki pilot reinforces our belief that mobile broadcast TV is a significant opportunity," said Richard Sharp, Vice President, Rich Media, Nokia. "The message for the industry is clear: for mobile TV services to succeed we need relevant and compelling content, easy-to-use technology and reasonable and simple pricing plans. With these elements in place, consumer demand for mobile TV will follow." 

 

DVB-H technology allows television channels to be distributed effectively to mobile devices. It provides the best user experience in the mobile environment with excellent, broadcast quality picture, reduced battery consumption and wide range of channels (up to 55 channel are possible).

 

Finland's mobile TV project: www.finnishmobiletv.com

 

Digita Oy is the leading Finnish distributor of radio and television services, and an important developer of data communication networks and network infrastructure. Digita's nationwide organisation ensures the high quality of services 24 hours a day. Digita's customers include television and radio broadcasting companies, as well as mobile and broadband operators. The company's turnover was 89 million euros in 2004 and it employs 370 people. Digita is part of the international TDF Group.

 

Elisa Oyj is a provider of overall telecommunication services, which offers versatile voice and data services, connections to the Internet and content services, telephony solutions, customized communication and ICT solutions, international communication solutions and network operator services.

 

Elisa's revenue for 2004 amounted to EUR 1.36 billion, and by the end of the year the company employed 5,376 people. At the end of 2004, Elisa's networks hosted a total of 1.22 million fixed subscriptions. The number of broadband subscriptions is soaring, amounting to 222,307 in the year-end. There were 1.38 million mobile phone subscriptions in Elisa's network at the end of 2004. Listed on the Helsinki Stock Exchange, Elisa has approximately 300,000 shareholders comprising domestic and international institutional investors plus Finnish households.

 

TeliaSonera Finland Oyj, the Finnish profit centre of TeliaSonera, offers products and services under the Sonera brand. TeliaSonera is the leading telecommunications company in the Nordic and Baltic regions.

 

At the end of December 2004 TeliaSonera had 15,411,000 mobile customers (51,359,000 incl. associated companies), 8,312,000 fixed telephony customers (8,943,000 incl. associated companies) and 2,017,000 Internet customers (2,056,000 incl. associated companies).

 

Outside the home markets TeliaSonera has extensive interests in the growth markets in Russia, Turkey and Eurasia. TeliaSonera is listed on the Stockholm Exchange and the Helsinki Stock Exchange. Net sales for January-December 2004 amounted to SEK 81.9 billion (EUR 9.08 billion).  The number of employees was 29,082.

 

Yleisradio Oy (YLE) is a media company engaged in public full service television and radio broadcasting, whose tasks, operation and financing are defined by law. YLE makes programs in mainly Finnish and Swedish but also in Sámi, Romany and sign language. YLE is mainly state-owned, and its operation is principally financed through television fee revenue. YLE's objective is to guarantee Finns equal opportunities to obtain information, have experiences, be entertained and to educate and advance themselves.

 

MTV3 and Subtv channels are viewed every day by three million people in Finland. Together they accounted for 38% of TV viewing in 2004. MTV3 reaches more people than any other media in Finland. Subtv is a cable and digital channel that is growing fast, reaching 800,000 people in Finland daily in January 2005. MTV3 is Finland's biggest advertising media in terms of advertising revenue. Advertisements can be broadcast on MTV3 either nationwide or focused on up to ten coverage areas.

 

Channel Four Finland is part of Swelcom, SanomaWSOY's electronic media sector. Focusing on active city-dwellers, Channel Four Finland holds a strong position among viewers and advertisers. Watched every week by 74% of the population, Channel Four Finland is Finland's third-largest advertising media in terms of net sales.

 

Nokia is a world leader in mobile communications, driving the growth and sustainability of the broader mobility industry. Nokia connects people to each other and the information that matters to them with easy-to-use and innovative products like mobile phones, devices and solutions for imaging, games, media and businesses. Nokia provides equipment, solutions and services for network operators and corporations. www.nokia.com

 

 

Digita

Jaakko Harno, Sales Director

tel. +358 40 843 613

 

Elisa

Jonas Kronlund, Technology Specialist

tel. +358 50 598 2789

e-mail: jonas.kronlund@elisa.fi

 

TeliaSonera Finland

Pekka Pesari, Development Manager

tel.  +358 400 404086

e-mail: firstname.lastname@teliasonera.com

 

YLE

Jari Lahti, Head of TV New Media

tel. +358 40 544 4326

e-mail: jari.lahti@yle.fi

 

MTV Oy

Juha Mustonen, Assistant Manager

tel. +358 50 5004145

e-mail: juha.mustonen@mtv3.fi

 

Channel Four Finland

Pirjo Airaksinen, Senior Vice President, programming

tel. +358 400-303 043

e-mail: pirjo.airaksinen@nelonen.fi

 

Nokia, Multimedia

Communications

tel. +358 7180 45725

 

www.nokia.com/mobiletv

www.nokia.com