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MY question to you is a simple one: if you could have your favourite television programmes delivered to your mobile phone, would you realistically ever view them?
The reason I ask is because mobile TV sounds like a great idea on paper and is something that MultiChoice has been trying to implement for some time and may finally be able to roll out soon.
The initial response from most people I ask is: "Hell yes - gimme!" But when asked where they would use the service, the answers aren't very convincing.
The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) announced last week that it is licensing a single multiplex for mobile television and will announce the licensee in May. It seems to think that this would allow enough time to get up and running and market the service before the World Cup kicks off in June. Right.
Now let's not get too technical - suffice to say that there are a handful of companies that could, and would, pull off mobile television broadcasting proper. We're not talking about those no-name-brand phones that have aerials on them to catch conventional free-to-air television signals, but rather a digital distribution service using something like DVB-H which is what DStv has been working on.
DVB-H requires you to have a compatible phone - another reason why it will take a while to proliferate.
DStv has been testing its mobile television service using this technology for years. It has also been ready to go live with it for some time. But Icasa hasn't shown much interest in doing anything about it until dropping the bomb last week. Too little, too late - which is what we've come to expect.
Icasa went to great lengths to explain that not only big companies would be in the running for that golden multiplex licence, but let's face it - realistically there's only one company that could put it to good use.
So in May MultiChoice may or may not finally get the licence it needs to begin providing mobile television services. Which brings me back to my original question - would you want it?
We're not sure how it would be billed, but I suspect there would be a few options, including pay-as-you-need access or a bolt-on subscription to your DStv contract. Either way, I doubt it will be cheap.
Of course, when you're sitting at a wedding while the cricket is on, would you really worry about the costs involved in hauling out your phone to watch the game on the sly?
But outside of keeping people distracted in churches, I can't imagine there being a massive market for mobile television in South Africa, where our public transport infrastructure appeals to everyone except the people who can afford DStv and already have it available in their lounge - in high definition.
And perhaps that's why the multiplex would be better served by a company focused on the lower end of the market, such as On Digital Media (ODM) which will launch its Top TV service in South Africa later this month.
Whether anyone needs it or not, and irrespective of who gets the licence from Icasa, I think it's unacceptable that the regulator has waited this long to do something about mobile television in South Africa. It has given the industry what it wanted, and it's happened too late. Sound familiar?
That said, this is one service I would consider using, even if I can't tell you why - so someone wake me up when this service is finally ready to save me from the next four weddings and a funeral.
- Fin24.com
