- T-Mobile further expands its mobile TV service
- Basic package features attractive new channels
- Mobile TV also available on the iPhone 3G, iPhone 3G S, T-Mobile G1 and T-Mobile G2 Touch
- The service will soon also be accessible for netbooks and notebooks
- Significant quality improvements since spring 2009
More fun with television while on the move: T-Mobile has expanded and improved its range of available programs so that its customers can get even more enjoyment out of its mobile TV service. For example, new channels are available in the basic package, and the existing programs now correspond better with the respective offering on regular TV. In addition, T-Mobile is now making mobile TV available for the iPhone 3G and the iPhone 3GS, the Android-based cell phones T-Mobile G1, T-Mobile G2 Touch, as well as netbooks and laptops. Furthermore, the service's picture and sound quality has improved significantly since April 2009.
Basis package enhanced The new channels in the basic package are kabel eins Mobile TV and N24 Mobile TV. kabel eins Mobile TV broadcasts about 50 percent of the current TV content simultaneously; N24 Mobile TV actually broadcasts the same content as viewers receive on the TV sets at home – around the clock. Similarly, the content and schedules of the channels Sat.1 Mobile TV and ProSieben Mobile TV are now largely identical to the programs and times of the respective TV channels. The basis Mobile TV package offers a total of 14 channels featuring news, sport, music, comedy, cartoons and series. It costs EUR 7.50 for a month or EUR 2 for one day's access. T-Mobile's Mobile TV offering currently consists of the basic package, the LIGA total! package (see our press release on LIGA total! Mobile TV), the Kostnix channel and an erotic package with three channels. More handsets can receive Mobile TV T-Mobile customers can access Mobile TV with most UMTS-capable de-vices that support video streaming. iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS users only need to activate the free mobile TV application from the App Store (utilities). T-Mobile will make this available in good time for the start of the Bundesliga season – and the launch of LIGA total!. iPhone 3G users also need the OS 3.0 operating system, which is already installed on the iPhone 3GS. Android-based devices, such as the T-Mobile G1 and the T-Mobile G2 Touch, need the new Android 1.5 software version to watch Mobile TV via web'n'walk.
T-Mobile customers will probably be able to receive the LIGA total! channels and the other Mobile TV packages via netbook and notebook by the end of September 2009. For this they will need a device which either has mobile-transmission technology already built in, or can have it connected – e.g. in the form of a web'n'walk stick. Access to Mobile TV is only accessible via HSDPA or UMTS. The same package prices apply as for use by cell phone.
Quality improved T-Mobile introduced a number of quality improvements for the Mobile TV service in spring 2009. The technical platform now offers five different quality profiles. These make it possible to optimally adjust the video stream to the performance features of the mobile device being used: the profiles take into account the possible bandwidths, the video and audio formats supported by the cell phone, and the display's resolution. So, for example, a cell phone with enhanced video functionality receives a corresponding profile with good picture quality. Furthermore, the transmission rate is dynamically adjusted to whatever bandwidth is currently available locally. Even if the bandwidth changes during use, the stream's bit rate is optimized very quickly. And, of course, it is not interrupted. In addition, all channels are now compressed using the modern H.264 standard, which was specifically developed for mobile applications. The overall result of the measures is a significant improvement in picture and sound quality. T-Mobile has also made the Mobile TV client more user-friendly. Please go to www.t-mobile.de/mobiletv to find out which cell phones can access the new client.