Axel meets Minister of Communications

The Finnish Minister of Communications, Suvi Lindén honoured Axel Technologies with a visit on February 25, 2008. Petri Kalske, CEO, and Harri Pietilä, CTO, sat down with Minister Lindén to discuss the future of Mobile-TV – the possibilities and difficulties.

Minister Lindén appears to be visibly interested in the development of Mobile-TV, and she reveals to own a mobile phone capable of receiving TV broadcast. Lindén: 
Quite often I watch the morning news on my mobile phone. It is very convenient. However, a short-coming of Mobile-TV today is that there is not enough suitable content available especially during the mid-day. 
In order to kick-start Mobile-TV commercially, it is not only the technology that has to be developed further, there is significant a pressure to increase the content that is available and suitable for Mobile-TV. 

Much like in any new technology development there has been confusion about the technological standards. Lindén is confident that DVB-H standard will prevail in Europe. Lindén follows also the development of standard adaptation in Asia and Latin America with interest. 

Minister Lindén, CEO Kalske and CTO Pietilä discuss also the business potential of Mobile-TV. To increase the magnitude of the Mobile-TV market there needs to be more mobile devices from different vendors capable for receiving Mobile-TV broadcast. And more so, these devices ought to be reasonably priced. In general, it can be expected that the demand will pick up once there are sufficient content and enough devices available at reasonable prices. In Finland, this is especially crucial because the average consumer will purchase the operator service and the device separately. 

Harri Pietilä points out that Finland should make a clear statement which Mobile-TV standards it is following. The mere declaration of choosing DVB-H is not sufficient signal for the market. 
“It is crucial to resolve where the money lies in Mobile-TV. The operators have indicated they would prefer to develop OMA B-CAST Smart Card profile further. Finland as a technological forerunner should strengthen this development by clearly indicating which standards and profiles it has chosen for Electronic Service Guide and content protection. Operators are gate keepers in this business and we should listen what they prefer” Reports Harri Pietilä to Minister Lindén. 

More about Minister of Communications: 
http://www.valtioneuvosto.fi/hallitus/jasenet/viestintaministeri/en.jsp