The worldwide user base of free-to-air analog mobile TV service will surpass 54 million consumers in 2009 and this number is expected to grow 6x to 300 million users by 2013.
According to a free whitepaper released by Telegent Systems, which supplies components for mobile TV handsets, and In-Stat, more than 85% of the world’s population will continue to have access to analog signals for the next several years or longer. In-Stat expects free-to-air analog mobile TV to do well in countries which have not yet formulated plans for digital TV, or if they have, in countries where analog will remain for more than five years. In-Stat also observes that there are large numbers of consumers living in geographies where the average subscriber doesn’t have the resources to pay for subscription-based mobile TV or for the data services that support over-the-top video. The whitepaper highlights common global mobile TV usage trends revealed by primary research conducted by Telegent in Brazil, Colombia, Indonesia and Turkey.
“The adoption of analog mobile TV handsets has been driven by the most powerful force in the mobile industry: consumers,” said Frank Dickson, vice president of research at In-Stat. “Analog mobile TV has two very fundamental and compelling advantages – cost and availability. The infrastructure is already in place, there are no new standards that need to be enacted and the service is free to consumers – a very powerful combination.”
Some highlights of the report:
- More than half of free-to-air analog mobile TV consumers surveyed reported watching mobile TV at least three times a week, with 20% of respondents in all regions watching daily. In some geographies, 40% or more watched daily.
- Approximately two-thirds of respondents reported viewing mobile TV for thirty minutes or more on the days that they watched TV, dispelling the notion that it will ultimately be a vehicle for “TV snacking” when away from home.
- The biggest use for mobile TV is in mass transit. At a minimum, over 1/3 of respondents report using mobile TV as part of commuting, regardless of the country of use.
The whitepaper can be downloaded for free.
http://www.instat.com/promos/09/mobiletv.asphttp://www.telegent.com
