MUMBAI: Paris based communications provider Alcatel has announced the creation of Alcatel Mobile Broadcast. This is a new internal venture dedicated to Mobile TV.

Alcatel states that as a provider of video solutions, both fixed and mobile, it is ideally positioned to be an important player in this new promising segment. The recent experience from 3G service offers demonstrate a significant consumer appetite for Mobile TV. However, while current mobile networks enable the distribution of numerous TV channels, they have limitations in terms of global coverage and the number of users simultaneously receiving these channels in the same cell.

Mobile operators and broadcasters are therefore considering several options to establish an additional infrastructure to deliver TV and various multimedia services to their mobile customers, economically and with the best possible coverage.

Alcatel says that this new venture will develop the appropriate technologies, build the necessary ecosystem and promote the solution to mobile operators and broadcasters.

Alcatel's mobile activities president Etienne Fouques said, "Alcatel's unique positioning in both mobile and satellite activities worldwide will help to bring a complete and efficient Mobile TV solution to our customers based on an hybrid offer combining terrestrial and satellite coverage."