NAB Supports Expedited Development of Mobile DTV Broadcast Service

WASHINGTON, DC - NAB today announced its support for and participation in the efforts of the Open Mobile Video Coalition (OMVC) and the Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) to bring broadcast DTV service to mobile and handheld devices.

The substantial and growing membership of television station groups in the Open Mobile Video Coalition (OMVC) shows the strong commitment of broadcasters to participate in the development of mobile digital broadcast TV, using broadcasters’ over-the-air licensed spectrum. At its June 13 meeting, the NAB Television Board of Directors unanimously passed a motion to actively support the efforts of the Open Mobile Video Coalition.

“Accelerating the development of mobile digital broadcast TV is consistent with NAB’s technology advocacy goals and the activities of NAB’s recently announced technology advocacy program, FASTROAD,” said NAB President and CEO David K. Rehr.

As previously announced, through the FASTROAD (Flexible Advanced Services for Television & Radio On All Devices) initiative, NAB will advocate and foster technological innovation in the services that broadcasters can offer through their spectrum assets.

NAB today also pledged its support to ATSC in its development of an ATSC-M/H standard, a backward compatible mobile and handheld standard for TV broadcasters. The ten submissions received responding on the June 21 deadline to the ATSC’s Request for Proposal demonstrate the wide interest level and advanced state of technology development for enabling mobile DTV service.

“Rapid development of a technical standard for mobile DTV reception is critical to ultimately achieving success for broadcaster participation in the competitive marketplace of mobile media services,” said Rehr. "NAB will proactively work with ATSC at all levels to expedite the completion of the standards process.